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illustration Verso

Verso

[vər-soh]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, mid-19th century

1.

A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document.

2.

The reverse of something such as a coin or painting.

Examples of Verso in a sentence

"Every new chapter begins on the verso."

"This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso."

About Verso

Verso is a traditional printing term for the left-hand side of an open book, but it can also be the back side of a single piece of paper. It's a handy term that has been adopted by the arts and collectibles community to refer to the back or reverse side of a painting or coin.

Did you Know?

Open up a book and take a look at the pages in front of you. The right-hand side is called "recto," from the Latin for "on the right leaf." Conversely, "verso" means "on the left leaf." Using these terms is a fancy way to let someone know that you know your books.

illustration Verso

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