PRELUDE


Meaning of PRELUDE in English

/ ˈpreljuːd; NAmE / noun

1.

a short piece of music, especially an introduction to a longer piece

2.

prelude (to sth) an action or event that happens before another more important one and forms an introduction to it

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WORD ORIGIN

mid 16th cent.: from French prélude , from medieval Latin praeludium , from Latin praeludere play beforehand, from prae before + ludere to play.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.