Foreword
ˈfɔːrwɜːrd
Definitions
A brief introductory essay or statement, usually written by a different person than the main author, often appearing at the beginning of a book or other work.
ˈfɔːrwɜːrd
An introductory section in a book.
The author's friend wrote the foreword to the book.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're reading a cool book. The foreword is like a little note at the beginning, written by someone else, that tells you what the book's all about or why it was written. It's like the book's 'hello' note!
👶 For kids: The first part of a book, like a special introduction written by someone who is not the author.
More Examples
The foreword provided context for understanding the novel's themes.
I always read the foreword to understand the author's intentions.
The editor included a foreword to introduce the author to the readers.
How It's Used
"The foreword often provides background information about the author or the book's origins."
"The publisher asked the author to write the foreword to the second edition."
From Middle English *foreword*, from Old English *foreweard* ('foreword, preface'), from *fore-* ('before') + *word* ('word').
The term 'foreword' has been used in a similar context since the 16th century, evolving from earlier forms like 'foreworde' and 'fore-word'.