foreword
Pluralforewords
Often confused with forward
- 1An introductory section that comes before the main text of a book, especially one written by someone other than the work's own author.
Like a guest speaker who vouches for the main act before they take the stage.
The foreword was penned by a Nobel laureate who admired the author's earlier research.
Several forewords in the anthology were contributed by leading historians.
Similarpreface, introduction, prologue, preamble
Oppositeafterword, epilogue, conclusion
Note
A word translated twice over to reach English: fore- plus word, modeled on German Vorwort, which was itself modeled on Latin praefatio, "preface". Dutch voorwoord and Swedish förord are built the same way. The spelling follows that construction, the word that comes before the text, so it is never "forward". Its natural partner at the other end of a book is afterword.
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Origin
Formed from 'fore-' + 'word', as a calque of German 'Vorwort', which was itself a calque of Latin 'praefatio' ('preface'). It is related to Dutch 'voorwoord', West Frisian 'foarwurd', Danish 'forord', and Swedish 'förord'.