1. inscriptions or emblems placed at the end of a book or manuscript, typically containing information about the publication
Usage: publishing; plural of colophon
2. finishing touches or final details added to complete something
Usage: figurative use

Examples

• The rare book collector examined the colophons to determine the manuscripts’ origins.
• Medieval scribes often included elaborate colophons with their names and dates.
• The publisher’s colophons appeared on the final pages of each volume.
• Modern books rarely feature the decorative colophons common in earlier centuries.
• The artist added colophons to her portfolio as finishing touches.
• These details serve as colophons to an otherwise complete project.