• IPA: /ˈpɹɛfəs/

preface (plural prefaces)

1. The beginning or introductory portion that comes before the main text of a document or book.

   Synonyms: forespeech, foretalk, foreword, introduction, proem, prologue, Thesaurus:foreword

   The book included a brief preface by a leading expert in the field.

2. An introduction, or series of preliminary remarks.
   • 1591, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene v]:

     This superficial tale / Is but a preface of her worthy praise.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 10”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     Heav'ns high behest no preface needs.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify ), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292 ↗:

     |||tr=|brackets=|subst=|lit=|nocat=1|footer=}}|}}

     And now, without any further preface, we proceed to our next chapter.

3. (Roman Catholic) The prelude or introduction to the canon of the Mass.

   Synonyms: prelude

4. A title or epithet.
   • 2008, W. Bruce Kippen, Lords of the Frontier

     […] a black-tie dinner to celebrate on the eve of the ceremony which would remove the preface "Sir" from his name and replace it with the preface "Lord," thought by some to be one of the most potent words in the English language.

• French: préface
• German: Vorwort, Vorrede
• Italian: prefazione, proemio, introduzione
• Portuguese: prefácio
• Russian: предисло́вие
• Spanish: prefacio

preface (prefaces, present participle prefacing; past and past participle prefaced)

1. (transitive) To introduce or make a comment before (the main point).

   Let me preface this by saying that I don't know him that well.

2. (transitive) To give a preface to.

   to preface a book

• French: préfacer
• Portuguese: prefaciar
• Russian: предваря́ть
• Spanish: introducir

• prefatory

preface (plural prefaces)

1. The part of the liturgy that precedes the main part of the Eucharist