noun
Uncommon
prologue
PROH-log
Prologue (noun) means an introductory section that comes before the main part of a play, book, or story. Example: “The novel's prologue explains events that happened twenty years before the main plot begins.”
noun
1
An introductory section that comes before the main part of a play, book, or story.
"The novel's prologue explains events that happened twenty years before the main plot begins."
"Shakespeare often used a prologue to set the scene before the actors took the stage."
2
In cycling, a short individual time trial held before a multi-stage race to decide the early race leader.
"He won the prologue by two seconds and wore the leader's jersey on day one."
verb
1
To introduce something with a formal opening statement.
"The director chose to prologue the film with a brief historical note."
How to use prologue
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe opening part that comes before the real story starts.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with epilogue, which comes at the end rather than the beginning.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- prologues
- Third person singular
- prologues
- Past tense
- prologued
Fill the gap
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The novel's _____ explains events that happened twenty years before the main plot begins.
Etymology
From Old French prologue, from Latin prologus, from Greek prólogos, built from pro- ("before") plus -logue ("speech").
Related words
Rhymes for prologue
See all rhymes for prologue →Frequently asked questions
What does “prologue” mean?
The word “prologue” means an introductory section that comes before the main part of a play, book, or story. In plain terms, the opening part that comes before the real story starts.
How do you pronounce “prologue”?
“Prologue” is pronounced PROH-log (/ˈpɹoʊlɔɡ/ in IPA).
How do you use “prologue” in a sentence?
Here is “prologue” used in a sentence: “The novel's prologue explains events that happened twenty years before the main plot begins.”
What is the opposite of “prologue”?
The opposite of “prologue” — its antonyms — are epilogue and epilog.
What part of speech is “prologue”?
Depending on how it is used, “prologue” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “prologue” come from?
The word “prologue” comes from Latin. From Old French prologue, from Latin prologus, from Greek prólogos, built from pro- ("before") plus -logue ("speech").
Is “prologue” a common word?
“Prologue” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “prologue” have?
“Prologue” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an introductory section that comes before the main part of a play, book, or story.
