Also 8 elzever, 9 elziver.
1. The name (properly Elzevier, latinized Elzevirius) of a family of printers at Amsterdam, The Hague, Leyden and Utrecht (1592–1680), famous chiefly for their editions of the classics, many of which are still valued by collectors. Used attrib. or as adj., e.g., in Elzevir edition, an edition published by one of the Elzeviers; formerly applied also to editions printed in the small neat form and with the kind of type adopted by them. Also absol. a book printed by one of the Elzeviers.
17[?]. Pope, Lett., Wks. VI. 19. I gave the boy a small bagg, containing three shirts and an elzevir Virgil.
1713. Steele, Englishman, No. 52. 335. The Poem I speak of … is just now published in a little Elzevir Edition.
1842. Mrs. Gore, Fascination, 126. Placing his spectacles in one of his pockets, and … one of his precious Elzevirs in the other.
1860. J. Kennedy, Swallow B., vi. 66. Some famous Elzivirs were picked up.
2. Elzevir letter, type. a. The style of type used by the Elzeviers in their small editions of the classics.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4637/3. A neat Edition on an Elzever Letter.
b. Now used as the name of a special form of printing types.—ELZEVIR TYPE.
