prologue book

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   The introductory section at the start of a book, before the main story or chapters, often setting the scene or giving background.

   Grammar: Countable; use 'a prologue' or 'the prologue'. The plural is 'prologues'.

   Patterns

   • the prologue of a book
   • a book's prologue
   • write a prologue

   The prologue of the book introduces the main character as a child.

   Many readers skip the prologue and go straight to chapter one.

   She wrote a gripping prologue that made me want to read on.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   An event or situation that comes before and leads to something more important.

   Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'a prologue to something'.

   Patterns

   • a prologue to something

   The small protest was a prologue to a much larger movement.

   These early experiments were a prologue to the digital age.

Word forms

Common combinations

the prologue of the book

The prologue of the book is set in 1920.

a book's prologue

A book's prologue should grab the reader's attention.

write a prologue

The author decided to write a prologue to explain the backstory.

skip the prologue

I usually skip the prologue and start with chapter one.

Synonyms and how they differ

introduction

More general; can refer to any opening section, not just in a story. 'Prologue' is more literary and often part of the narrative.

preface

Usually written by the author to explain the book's purpose; a prologue is part of the story itself.

foreword

Written by someone other than the author, often praising the book; a prologue is by the author and fictional.

Opposites

Word family

prologuize verb

Rare; to write or speak a prologue.

Commonly confused: prologue book or epilogue?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “prologue book”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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