An introduction at the beginning of a book where the author explains what the book is about or why they wrote it.
From Latin 'praefatio,' derived from 'praefari' meaning 'to speak beforehand,' from 'prae-' (before) + 'fari' (to speak). The word entered English in the 14th century.
A preface is technically separate from an introduction—the preface is the author's personal note to YOU, while the introduction explains the subject matter. Publishers use this distinction, but most readers skip them, which would probably make authors very sad!
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