preamble.

An introductory statement setting out a document or discussion's purpose, context, or principles.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• constitutional preamble
• without further preamble

On the page

The preamble set out the reform's aims but not its mechanisms.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Singular preamble; plural preambles. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common.