preface – English noun declension

English noun forms of preface

Noun: preface
Singularpreface
Pluralprefaces

Sample Sentences

  • Holonyms: front matter, prelims
  • The book included a brief preface explaining the author's motivations for writing.
  • This superficial tale / Is but a preface of her worthy praise. [1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], page 118:]
  • Heav'ns high behest no preface needs. [1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:]
  • And now, without any further preface, we proceed to our next chapter. [1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, page 7:]
  • Meronyms: protocol, embolism, eschatocol
  • […] a black-tie dinner to celebrate on the eve of the ceremony which would remove the preface "Sir" from his name and replace it with the preface "Lord," thought by some to be one of the most potent words in the English language. [2008, W. Bruce Kippen, Lords of the Frontier:]

Etymology

Late 14th century, from Middle English preface, prefas, from Old French preface (from which derives the modern French préface), from Medieval Latin prefātia, for classical Latin praefātiō (“a saying beforehand”), from praefor (“to speak beforehand”), from prae- (“beforehand”) + for (“to speak”). See: Middle English Nouns 'preface', French Nouns 'préface', Latin Nouns 'praefātiō'.