Prolegomenal
[pro-leg-AH-mə-nl]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: American English, mid 19th century
1.
Prefatory, introductory, preliminary.
Examples of Prolegomenal in a sentence
"The prolegomenal chapter attempted to give background on the fantasy world the author had created."
"As a prolegomenal action, Shelley struck her famous pose, waiting for the audience to recognize her."
About Prolegomenal
Prolegomenal was first introduced a mid 19th century issue of The Times, but its origins can be found in the word "prolegomenon." This word refers to a critical introduction in a book, and originates from the Greek words "pro," meaning "before," and "legein," or "to say," combining to create a word that means "to say beforehand."
Did you Know?
You've heard of a prologue before -- but now you can use "prolegomenal" as a way to describe an introduction. If you are a teacher, your syllabus is the prolegomenal piece of your curriculum for your students.
