prefatory

adjective

pref·​a·​to·​ry ˈpre-fə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce prefatory (audio)
Synonyms of prefatorynext
1
: of, relating to, or constituting a preface
prefatory remarks
2
: located in front

Synonyms of prefatory

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Examples of prefatory in a Sentence

The speaker made some prefatory remarks. Each chapter in the book has a prefatory quotation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble. — Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024 Despite some discouraging downward trends, all the prefatory jawing could go a long way toward siphoning off a fair number of viewers who might otherwise be locked in on the NFL. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025 There was a prefatory letter by Archibald MacLeish, a professor at Harvard and a former Librarian of Congress, and an introduction by Mark Schorer, a professor of English at Berkeley, along with blurbs from other eminent men of letters. — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin praefari

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prefatory was in 1675

Rhymes for prefatory

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Browse Nearby Words

prefatorily
prefatory
prefect
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Cite this Entry

“Prefatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefatory. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prefatory

Nglish: Translation of prefatory for Spanish Speakers

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