Incipit

An incipit (/ˈɪnsɪpɪt/ IN-sip-it) (Latin for "it begins") is the first few words of a piece of text, employed as an identifying label in lieu of a title. Examples of this are the Akkadian Enūma Eliš (meaning "When on High") or the Latin Agnus Dei (meaning "Lamb of God"). The practice of referring to texts by their initial words can be found in various parts of the world and remains commonplace today. In a musical composition, an incipit is an initial sequence of notes, having the same purpose.^[1] Its counterpart taken from the ending of the text or musical composition is the explicit.^[2]

↑ "Definition of INCIPIT". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
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Incipit Media
- Decorated incipit page to the Gospel of Matthew, 1120–1140
- The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a., with the word "Me-ematai" in the box at the top
- Incipit, miniature and first four lines of Aiol and Mirabel, ms. 25516 fr. of the BnF, fol. 96r. 1275–90.
"Incipit and Explicit". www.ndl.go.jp. Retrieved 2025-06-07.

[1] "Definition of INCIPIT". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.

[2] 
Incipit Media

Decorated incipit page to the Gospel of Matthew, 1120–1140

The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a., with the word "Me-ematai" in the box at the top

Incipit, miniature and first four lines of Aiol and Mirabel, ms. 25516 fr. of the BnF, fol. 96r. 1275–90.

"Incipit and Explicit". www.ndl.go.jp. Retrieved 2025-06-07.

[3] Decorated incipit page to the Gospel of Matthew, 1120–1140

[4] The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a., with the word "Me-ematai" in the box at the top

[5] Incipit, miniature and first four lines of Aiol and Mirabel, ms. 25516 fr. of the BnF, fol. 96r. 1275–90.

[1]

[2]

Incipit

Incipit Media