Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Preface |
PrefaceNoun1. A short introductory essay preceding the text of a book. Verb1. Furnish with a preface. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "preface" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1258. (references) |
Synonyms: PrefaceSynonyms: foreword (n), prolusion (n), introduce (v), premise (v). (additional references) |
| Synonyms by domain: prefacing (publishing & graphic artslanguage). |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Precedence | Place before; prefix; premise, prelude, preface. |
Precursor | Prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction; heading, frontispiece, groundwork; preparation; overture, exordium, symphony; premises. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Preface |
| English words defined with "preface": Forespeaking, Forespeech ♦ introduce, introductory ♦ now ♦ Prefaced, Prefacer, Prefacing, prefatorial, Prefatorily, prefatory, premise, Proem. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "preface": addments ♦ KINDNESS ♦ Lerna ♦ preliminary matter ♦ Robert of Brunne ♦ Scriptores Tres ♦ to a first approximation ♦ Yellow Book, Jargon. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "preface": Forespeaking, Forespeech. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Preface" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. Romanian (alter, change, convert, feign, reduce, sham, simulate, swell, transform). |
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Music |
|
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Sylvie and Bruno Concluded | Carroll, Lewis | In the Preface to Vol. |
A Christmas Carol | Dickens, Charles | |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | This man, to state the startling fact without preface, had been a member of the National Convention. |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | After this preface he gave me a particular account of the struldbrugs among them. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | KINDNESS, n. A brief preface to ten volumes of exaction. |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Preface" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 83.10% of the time. "Preface" is used about 361 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 83.1% | 300 | 16,755 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 7.76% | 28 | 65,706 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 6.93% | 25 | 69,787 |
| Noun (proper) | 2.22% | 8 | 124,375 |
| Total | 100.00% | 361 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "preface": preface test ♦ proper preface. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
preface | 21 |
ballad lyricsal preface | 4 |
preface salomon | 3 |
preface writing | 3 |
preface write | 2 |
grass leaf preface | 2 |
definition preface | 2 |
by edward preface taylor | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "preface"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Afrikaans | inleiding (introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | parathënie (exordium, introduction, lead in, preamble, proem, prolusion), hyrje (access, accession, adit, aisle, barrier, door, entrance, entry, front door, gate, gateway, hall, hallway, incoming, induction, inflow, inflowing, ingoing, ingress, inlet, input, intake, intromission, lead in, opening, porch, portal, preamble, prelude, proem, prolegomena, prologue, throat), filloj fjalimin me, bëj një parathënie. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | فاتحة (introduction, preamble, proem, prologue), مقدمة (advance guard, fore, foreword, headlong, introduction, preamble, prelude, premise, proem, vanguard), مدخل (access, door, doorway, entrance, entry, entryway, gate, gateway, hallway, inlet, introduction, opening, start, vestibule, way in), تمهيد (introduction, preamble, preapprehension, prolegomena), تصدير (exordium, export, foreword, prefix), صلاة التمهيد, استهلال, إستهل (begin, commence, initialize, institute, launch, lead off, open, set, start, strike up). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | стоя пред, уводни бележки (prolegomena), водя към, намирам се пред, започвам (begin, come in, commence, enter, enter on, fall to, get under way, handsel, initiate, institute, jump off, kick off, lead, lead off, open, premise, roll, set in, set out on, set up, settle in, start off, start up, take off, tee off, teethe, trigger), предшествувам (antecede, antedate, forego, forerun, precede), предговор (foreword, introduction), предисловие (preamble, proem), правя уводни бележки, пиша предговор. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | '言 , 序言, 序 (order, sequence), 前言 (forward, introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | předmluva (foreword, introduction, preamble), zahájit (begin, commence, go off, handsel, inaugurate, Initialize, initiate, introduce, launch, lead off, start), uvést (adduce, bring into play, cite, induct, initiate, introduce, quote, show in, state, usher, usher in), opatřit předmluvou, úvod (guide, introduction, opening, outset, preliminary, prelude). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | forord (foreword, préface). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | introductie (introduction), inleiding (introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | enkonduko (introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | پیش گفتار (Prolegomenon, Prologue), مقدمه (Antecedent, Introduction, Prelude, Prolegomenon, Prologue, Snap, Start), سراغاز (Prologue), اغاز (Alpha, Aurora, Birth, Dawn, Inception, Instep, Jumpoff, Outset, Prime, Start), دیباچه نوشتن , دیباچه (Introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | esipuhe (foreword, préface), alkulause. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | introduction (input process, pre-view). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Vorwort (foreword, preamble, prolog), Vorrede (foreword, introductory speech, opening speech, prolog, prologue). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | προλογίζω (recite a prologue). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מבוא (entry, foreword, introduction, lead in, prologue), לפתוח (begin, loosen, open, start, unbar, uncover, unroll, untie), ל"ק"ים (anticipate, precede, preempt), פתח "בר (foreword, introduction, preamble, prologue), אק"מ" (introduction, prelude), "ק"מ" (foreword, introduction, preamble). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | előszó (foreword, preamble, prolog, prologue), bevezetés (exordium, implement, induction, initiation, installation, introduction, preamble, prelude). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | pendahuluan (introduction), kata pengantar, kata pendahuluan (prolog, prologue). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | prefazione (foreword). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 端書き (foreword, introduction, postscript). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | れい'" (foreword, grim, heartless, miracle, miraculous efficacy, miraculous virtue, stark, stern), ちょろ" (introduction), はしがき (foreword, introduction, postscript), じょ (assistant, daughter, description, foreword, girl, help, narration, relation, rescue, woman), じょし (arranging seats by seniority, foreward, girl, Ms., particle, postposition, woman), じょ'" (advice, foreward, introduction, suggestion), じょろ" (introduction), ちょ'" (foreword), じょしょう (hostess, landlady, mistress, prologue, proprietress), ぜ"ち (all lands, complete recovery, healing, introduction, omniscience, the whole world), "とばがき (captions, explanatory notes, foreword to a collection of poems), か"とう'" (foreword, prefatory note), まえがき (preamble), まえおき (introduction), しょ'" (foreword, many accomplished persons, various factors or elements), しょろ" (introduction, one's opinion), しき" (editors note, postscript), じょぶ" (foreword, introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 서언. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | roie-raa (foreword, preamble), goan foshlee (foreword), cur roie-raa rish. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | efacepray prefácio (foreword, introduction, preamble, proem). (various references) prefaţã (foreword, introduction), prefaţa (precede), introducere (foreword, insertion, interpolation, intro, introduction, intromission, prelude, salutation), începe (begin, commence, develop, enter upon, go into the army, go on, initiate, it starts, lead off, lead out, open, set, set forth, set off, start). (various references) начинать (began, begin, begun, commence, enter upon, inaugurate, incept, kick off, launch, lead off, prelude, set to, start, start off, starts, strike up), пролог (prolog, prologue). (various references) predgovor (foreword, preamble, prolegomena), započeti (begin, commence, fire away, initiate, start, start off, upstart), uvod (exordium, introduction, preamble, prelude, proem), napisati predgovor. (various references) prefacio (foreword), prólogo (foreword, introduction, prolog, prologue). (various references) förord (foreword, intercession, preamble, recommendation), företal (foreword, proem, prolegomena). (various references) giriş yapmak (check in, enter, make one's entrance, prelude, prologuize), önsözünü yazmak, önsöz ile başlamak, önsöz (exordium, foreword, introduction, preamble, proem, prolegomena, prolog, prologue). (various references) sцzbaюy (title). (various references) робити вступ, пролог (prolog, prologue), передувати (antecede, antedate, forego, precede), передмова (foreword, preamble, proem), давати передмову. (various references) lời tựa (foreword, introduction, preamble). (various references) rhagymadrodd (introduction), rhaglith, rhagdraeth (introduction). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | exordii, exordiis, exordio, exordium, praef., praefatio, praefatione. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "preface": prefaced, prefacer, prefacers, prefaces. (additional references) | |
| |
"Preface" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Parauaca, pefec, perfa, perface, Prafance, prefade, prefence, prifacy, Primarche, profice, Purefoys. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "preface" (pronounced pre"fus) |
| 3 | -f u s | amorphous, edifice, interoffice, office, resurface, snafus, subsurface, surface, typhus. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-e-e-f-p-r" | |
-1 letter: reface. | |
-2 letters: caper, crape, creep, crepe, facer, farce, pacer, peace, perea, recap. | |
-3 letters: acre, aper, cafe, cape, care, carp, cepe, cere, crap, face, fare, fear, fere, frae, frap, free, pace, pare, pear, peer, pree, race, rape, reap, reef. | |
-4 letters: ace, ape, arc, are, arf, cap, car, cee, cep, ear, era, ere, far, fee, fer. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-e-e-f-p-r" | |
+1 letter: perfecta, praefect, prefaced, prefacer, prefaces. | |
+2 letters: fireplace, parfleche, perfectas, praefects, prefacers. | |
+3 letters: afterpiece, fireplaced, fireplaces, parfleches, prefinance, repacified, repacifies. | |
+4 letters: afterpieces, peacefuller, performance, preachified, preachifies, prefectural, prefinanced, prefinances. | |
+5 letters: craftspeople, hypersurface, performances, prefabricate, putrefactive. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)50 72 65 66 61 63 65 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references).--. .-. . ..-. .- -.-. . |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01010000 01110010 01100101 01100110 01100001 01100011 01100101 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)P r e f a c e |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0050 0072 0065 0066 0061 0063 0065 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)50847172676971 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Quotations: Fiction 7. Quotations: Non-fiction 8. Usage Frequency | 9. Expressions 10. Expressions: Internet 11. Translations: Modern 12. Translations: Ancient | 13. Derivations 14. Rhymes 15. Anagrams 16. Orthography | 17. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
