Word
foreword
Phoneticsfore·word, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɔɹˌwɝd/
UK/fˈɔːwɜːd/
Countable noun
In Japanese
preface; foreword; preamble
preface; foreword; introduction
この辞書には序文はあるが端書きがない。
This dictionary has a preface, not a foreword. Tatoeba
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. All sources.
Definition
n. a short piece of writing at the very beginning of a book. It is usually written by someone other than the author to introduce the book to readers.
n. a short introductory essay preceding the main text of a book, typically authored by someone other than the primary writer to provide context or endorsement.
Examples
“The famous professor wrote a foreword for her student's first book.”
“In the new edition's foreword, the editor explains why the original text remains relevant to modern readers.”
“The author was deeply honoured when his literary hero agreed to contribute a foreword, as such an endorsement would surely attract a wider audience to his debut novel.”
Examples
simple
“The famous professor wrote a foreword for her student's first book.”
contextual
“In the new edition's foreword, the editor explains why the original text remains relevant to modern readers.”
complex
“The author was deeply honoured when his literary hero agreed to contribute a foreword, as such an endorsement would surely attract a wider audience to his debut novel.”
Usage
Often confused with 'forward' due to identical pronunciation; the spelling 'fore-' refers to its position at the front of the book.
Pitfall
the book's forward
the book's foreword
Learners often use the directional word 'forward' instead of the literary term 'foreword'.
Real-World Examples
“A new foreword calls it a “masterpiece of investigative history”.” “Photograph: McNally Editions “On the one hand, to be honest, the book is a footnote,” says the novelist André Aciman, a longtime Rohmer fan who wrote the foreword to the new edition.” Etymology
Morphologically fore- + word. Calque of German Vorwort, itself a calque of Latin praefatio (“preface”). Cognate with German Low German Vörwoord (“foreword”), Dutch voorwoord (“foreword”), West Frisian foarwurd (“foreword”), Danish forord (“preface; proviso”), Swedish förord (“foreword”). Compare also Old English forword, foreword (“proviso; condition”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 1
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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