foreword

American  

[fawr-wurd, -werd, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌwɜrd, -wərd, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

1. a short introductory statement in a published work, as a book, especially when written by someone other than the author.

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foreword British  

/ ˈfɔːˌwɜːd /

noun

1. an introductory statement to a book

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Related Words

See introduction.

Etymology

Origin of foreword

First recorded in 1835–45; fore- + word

Explanation

Many students tend to skip the foreword at the beginning of a long novel, or go back and read it later. Use the noun foreword for an introduction that comes at the start of a book. A foreword is usually written by someone other than the author and it gives information about the critical reception of the book, personal history of the author, or some other extra detail of interest to the reader. The word foreword combines fore, "before, or first" and word, and it's closely connected to the German word for "preface," Vorwort.

Example Sentences

As noted in its foreword, the Reference Manual provides a dispassionate guide for judges who may need help understanding the background science in cases where science and law intersect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

“George Martin: The Scores,” which will be published in April and feature a foreword by Paul McCartney, highlights Martin’s singular influence in making their corpus a reality for the ages.

From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026

In a foreword to the WFP's 2026 Global Outlook report, she said the world's response "remains slow, fragmented and underfunded".

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

Brian Wilson wrote a short foreword to the lavishly illustrated 2014 book “Pacific Ocean Park.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 4, 2025

My godfather, Alex Haley, bequeathed me the opportunity to write this foreword to my father’s autobiography.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Related Words

• preamble
• preface
• prologue