Preface
'prefɪs
Definitions
2 meaningsAn introductory statement at the beginning of a book, article, or speech, usually explaining its purpose, scope, or background.
'prefɪs
An introduction to a book or other piece of writing.
The preface outlined the author's intentions and the structure of the book.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're starting a new book. The preface is like the author's little note to you, telling you what the book is about and why they wrote it. It's like the 'welcome' or 'hello' of the book!
👶 For kids: It's like the beginning of a story or book that tells you what it's about.
More Examples
I always read the preface to get a sense of the author's perspective.
The publisher decided to include a new preface in the revised edition.
How It's Used
"The author included a detailed preface explaining the book's origins."
"The professor asked students to read the preface before starting the main text."
To introduce or begin a book, speech, or other piece of writing with a preface.
'prɪfæs
To introduce or begin with a preface.
He prefaced his lecture with a brief summary of the topic.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're giving a speech. To 'preface' it means to start with a little introduction, like saying, 'Before I start, I want to say...' or 'Let me set the scene first...'.
👶 For kids: To start with some words to say what you're going to talk about.
More Examples
She prefaced her remarks by acknowledging the contributions of her colleagues.
The editor decided to preface the collection with a short biography of the author.
How It's Used
"The author prefaced the novel with a personal reflection on the subject matter."
"The speaker prefaced his remarks with a brief anecdote."
Idioms & expressions
preface with
To introduce something with a statement or explanation.
"He prefaced his presentation with a compelling statistic."
From Old French *preface*, from Late Latin *praefatio* ('foreword, introduction'), from *praefari* ('to speak beforehand'), from *prae* ('before') + *fari* ('to speak').
Historically used similarly to its modern meaning, often found introducing scholarly texts or literary works. Early usage highlighted the importance of establishing context and clarifying the author's intent.
Memory tip
Think of the PRE-face: it comes BEFORE the actual content.
Word Origin
"prae (before) + fari (to speak)"