plural preambles
somewhat formal
1
: a statement that is made at the beginning of something (such as a legal document) and usually gives the reasons for the parts that follow
The preamble to the U.S. Constitution begins by saying "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, …"
He told us the news without preamble. [=without saying anything else first]
2
: something that comes before and leads to something else
His early travels were just a preamble to his later adventures.
Cite this Entry
“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/preamble. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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