foreword
nounUK /ˈfɔːwɜːd/ · CA, US /ˈfɔɹwɝd/
Etymology Morphologically fore- + word. Calque of German Vorwort, itself a calque of Latin praefatio (“preface”). Cognate with German Low German Vörwoord (“foreword”), Dutch voorwoord (“foreword”), West Frisian foarwurd (“foreword”), Danish forord (“preface; proviso”), Swedish förord (“foreword”). Compare also Old English forword, foreword (“proviso; condition”).
1
An introductory section preceding the main text of a book or other document; especially, one written by another person (not the author of the work thus introduced).
- He closes the foreword by acknowledging that his proposals would have far-reaching impacts on railway staff, communities and industry - and passes the buck onto government to ensure that these consequences are managed appropriately.2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 44:
- Synonyms
- forespeech, foretale, foretalk, foreword
- Antonyms
- afterword, back matter, epilogue, endsay, conclusion, last word, postamble
- Related terms
- introductory, prelude, prefatory, preliminary, protactic, protatic, forward
- Coordinate terms
- exordium, intro, introduction, isagoge, preface, lead, lede, lead-in, preamble, prolegomenon, prologue, prolusion, proem, proemium, protasis
- Holonyms
- book, front matter, prelims, publication