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foreword

foreword

14 4.7
A short introduction at the start of a book that explains what it is about, written by someone else
  • noun
  • /ˈfɔːrwɜrd/
translation icon : prólogo
  • The paperback edition will offer a new foreword by the author that shows how the concept of...
  • write a foreword
  • book forewords
  • a new foreword

And Maya Hawk wrote the foreword, which I'm really excited about.

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Examples

  • And, in the interest of full disclosure, Jack wrote the foreword to my 1997 book, Moon Missions.

    Blog text (1)
  • And I urge you not to neglect the foreword by John Ray Junior.

  • I thought, perhaps, I could write the foreword myself.

  • A foreword would be lovely.

  • I would also like to share a few words from the foreword, written by Glen R. Brown.

    Blog text (10)
  • Cheryl wrote the foreword to my own book called A Second Chance.

  • Ryan Serhant wrote the foreword for that amazing guy.

  • And I am honored to have been asked to write a foreword to this major excerpt from Big Bear's Treaty.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The book opens with a new foreword by Colonel Alfred M. Worden, USAF

    Blog text (26)
  • The author thanked her friend for writing the foreword to her new book.

Synonyms

introduction
vsforeword
81 2.1

The first part of a book, speech, or essay that explains the topic

is typically written by someone other than the book's author
intro
vsforeword
  • Informal
56 3.2

A short speech that makes someone known and starts an event

is usually written by someone other than the creator of the work
prologue
vsforeword
  • Literature
21 6.0

An opening part of a play that explains the story or background

is often written by someone other than the work's author
proem
vsforeword
  • Archaic
1 9.5

A short introduction at the start of a book, poem, or speech

is usually written by someone other than the work's author
prolusion
vsforeword
  • Archaic
9.9

A short introduction before the main part of a book

is usually written by someone other than the book's author
forenote
vsforeword
  • Archaic
8.6

A short note at the start of a book that explains its background

is often written by someone other than the book's author
prolegomenon
vsforeword
  • Literature
9.9

An introduction at the start of a book that explains its main ideas

is typically written by someone else rather than the main author

How Long

prologue
  • Literature
21 6.0
introduction
81 2.1
preface
16 4.4
foreword
14 4.7
note
1.0

Surface Forms

foreword singular
forewords plural

Morphology

foreword = word (transparent) = fore + word

The meaning 'a word placed before' maps directly to 'an introductory remark', so knowing 'fore-' and 'word' makes the sense accessible.

Etymology

The word foreword comes from the parts fore- ('before') and word ('speech' or 'words'). It literally means a 'word before' the book, which is why a foreword is a short introduction at the start, often written by someone other than the author.