pre ‧ am ‧ ble /priˈæmb ə l $ ˈpriːæmb ə l/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: préambule , from Late Latin praeambulus 'walking in front' ]
formal a statement at the beginning of a book, document, or talk, explaining what it is about
preamble to
the preamble to the American Constitution
Harding gave him the news without preamble (=without saying anything else before it) .
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THESAURUS
▪ introduction a written or spoken statement at the beginning of a book, speech, or meeting, giving a general idea of what it is about:
After a brief introduction by the chairman, the meeting began.
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The author outlines his methods of research in the introduction.
▪ preface a short piece of writing at the beginning of a book that says what the book is about or the reason for writing it:
In the preface, he explains his motives for returning to the subject of Middle Eastern politics.
▪ foreword a short introduction to a book or report, usually written by someone who is not the author:
Greene wrote the foreword to Suzmann’s book.
▪ prologue an introduction to a piece of writing, especially a play or a long poem:
the prologue to Shakespeare’s ‘Henry V’
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The poem begins with a brief prologue.
▪ preamble a statement at the beginning of something, especially an official document, which explains what it is about:
the Preamble to the US Constitution