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exordium

noun

eg-ˈzȯr-dē-əm How to pronounce exordium (audio)
Definition of exordiumnext
as in preface
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part in his exordium the author warns his readers that they should expect a radically different interpretation of the causes of the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exordium
  1. preface
  2. introduction
  3. foreword
  4. prologue
Noun
  • So reads the first line in the preface of the first edition (1768) of the Encyclopædia Britannica.
    — Murasaki Shikibu, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • What could have been a throwaway nibble instead becomes a thought-through, gripping preface that sets up what’s to come.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of preface
Noun
  • In your view, does the introduction of sovereign venture capital in the Spanish film and TV industry encourage a change of mindset in the industry?
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Someone could offer knowledge, encouragement, or an introduction that makes an idea feel less imaginary.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of introduction
Noun
  • The lavish collection includes a foreword by royal journalist and biographer Tina Brown, who spent one-on-one time with the late princess during a lunch at the Four Seasons in New York just weeks before her death.
    — Sophie Dunne, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Published by Curvebender in honor of Martin’s centenary, the book features a new foreword written by another knight of the turntable, Sir Paul McCartney.
    — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of foreword
Noun
  • In fact, the historical episodes depicted in the prologue — historical episodes that occurred in 1956 — remain unpunished to this day.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The premise couldn’t be simpler, though Wollner’s incredible prologue — a careful arrangement of low-event long takes that emphasize how people move through spaces in time — trains our eyes to privilege texture over incident.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of prologue
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.

Browse Nearby Words

exorcists
exordium
exordiums
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Cite this Entry

“Exordium.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exordium. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on exordium

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about exordium

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