preface

noun

/ˈprefəs/

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an introduction to a book, especially one that explains the author’s aims compare foreword
- preface to something I read it in the preface to her new book.
- in a preface In his preface he claimed that he had created a new kind of music.
Topics Literature and writingc2
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin praefatia, alteration of Latin praefatio(n-) ‘words spoken beforehand’, from the verb praefari, from prae ‘before’ + fari ‘speak’.

preface

verb

/ˈprefəs/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they preface	/ˈprefəs/ /ˈprefəs/
he / she / it prefaces	/ˈprefəsɪz/ /ˈprefəsɪz/
past simple prefaced	/ˈprefəst/ /ˈprefəst/
past participle prefaced	/ˈprefəst/ /ˈprefəst/
-ing form prefacing	/ˈprefəsɪŋ/ /ˈprefəsɪŋ/

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preface something (with something) to provide a book or other piece of writing with a preface
- He prefaced the diaries with a short account of how they were discovered.
- Each chapter is prefaced by a quotation from Shakespeare.
preface something by/with something | preface something by doing something (formal) to say something before you start making a speech, answering a question, etc.
- I must preface my remarks with an apology.

Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin praefatia, alteration of Latin praefatio(n-) ‘words spoken beforehand’, from the verb praefari, from prae ‘before’ + fari ‘speak’.