prologue

noun

pro·​logue ˈprō-ˌlȯg How to pronounce prologue (audio)
-ˌläg
variants or less commonly prolog
1
: the preface or introduction to a literary work
2
a
: a speech often in verse addressed to the audience by an actor at the beginning of a play
b
: the actor speaking such a prologue
3
: an introductory or preceding event or development

Did you know?

In ancient Greek drama, the prologos (a word that means basically "speaking before") was the opening portion of the play, before the entry of the all-important chorus. It might be spoken by a single actor, maybe playing a god, who would "set the scene" for the audience. Playwrights today instead often provide the same kind of "scene-setting" information through dialogue near the play's beginning; in movies, it may appear (as in the "Star Wars" series) in the form of actual written text. In a nonfiction book, the lead-in is now usually called a preface or introduction; novels rarely provide any introduction at all. Still, prologue remains a useful word for nonliterary purposes. The saying "The past is prologue" tells us that, in real life, almost everything can be a prologue to what follows it.

Examples of prologue in a Sentence

the prologue to his autobiography unfortunately, the burglary, which he committed while still a teen, was but a prologue to a wasted life of crime
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Whether that act will be remembered as the final chapter or merely the prologue to Venezuela’s next battle remains to be seen. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025 Past Is Prologue Past is prologue to effective negotiations. Matthew Phillips, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 At no point in the film’s nearly 20-minute opening prologue do husband, wife, and their two children exist within the same frame without it being filmed from a far distance. Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 15 May 2025 But the prologue takes place in 1943, and acts as an omen of the supernatural elements that drive the series, including the Upside Down, a sinister realm that parallels our own. Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prologue

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prolog, from Anglo-French prologue, from Latin prologus preface to a play, from Greek prologos part of a Greek play preceding the entry of the chorus, from pro- before + legein to speak — more at pro-, legend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prologue was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Prologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prologue. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

prologue

noun
pro·​logue ˈprō-ˌlȯg How to pronounce prologue (audio)
1
: an introduction to a book or play
2
: an act or event that comes before or introduces something

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