Word
Definition
n. an action or event that happens before something more important. In music, it is a short piece that introduces a longer work.
n. an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and leading up to a more significant matter. In a musical context, it refers to a movement or piece that serves as an introduction to a larger composition.
Examples
“The dark clouds were a prelude to the storm.”
“The short meeting served as a necessary prelude to the intense negotiations that followed later that afternoon.”
“The composer's early piano preludes, while brief, contain the harmonic seeds that would eventually blossom into his more expansive symphonic works.”
Examples
simple
“The dark clouds were a prelude to the storm.”
contextual
“The short meeting served as a necessary prelude to the intense negotiations that followed later that afternoon.”
complex
“The composer's early piano preludes, while brief, contain the harmonic seeds that would eventually blossom into his more expansive symphonic works.”
Usage
Often paired with the preposition 'to' when describing an introductory event.
Real-World Examples
“People may be wondering if the nor’easter flooding is a prelude for what to expect as a strong El Niño continues to build this winter and as sea level rises in the future.” “Injured and learning to play again, Livia tries Chopin’s B minor Prelude, slowly and tentatively, and finds her own sadness reflected and transformed.” “I had been raised to think of work as a prelude to husband, children, home.” Etymology
From Middle French prélude (“singing to test a musical instrument”), from Medieval Latin preludium, from Latin praelūdere.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- 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 C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/prelude
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0