Webster's English Dictionary

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preface

1. pref.ace \'pref-*s\ n [ME, fr. MF, fr. ML prephatia, alter. of L 
   praefation-, praefati]o foreword, fr. praefatus, pp. of praefari to say 
   beforehand, fr. prae- pre- + fari to say - more at BAN often cap  1: a 
   eucharistic prayer of thanksgiving forming in the Roman rite an introd 
   uction to the canon 2: the introductory remarks of a speaker or the 
   author's introduction to a  book 3: PRELIMINARY 
2. preface vi : to make introductory remarks  1: to say or write as preface 
    2: PRECEDE, HERALD  3: to introduce by or begin with a preface  4: to 
   locate in front of  5: to be a preliminary to  - pref.ac.er n