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exordium

[ig-zawr-dee-uh m, ik-sawr-]
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noun, plural ex·or·di·ums, ex·or·di·a [ig-zawr-dee-uh, ik-sawr-] /ɪgˈzɔr di ə, ɪkˈsɔr-/.
  1. the beginning of anything.
  2. the introductory part of an oration, treatise, etc.
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Origin of exordium

1525–35; < Latin exōrdium, equivalent to ex- ex-1 + ōrd(īrī) to begin + -ium -ium
Related formsex·or·di·al, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for exordium

debut, installation, opening, addition, presentation, inauguration, launch, initiation, preface, establishment, influx, signal, proposition, suggestion, invitation, proposal, bid, preamble, foreword, prologue

Examples from the Web for exordium

Historical Examples of exordium

  • Every Speyside man will recognise from this exordium that I am about to treat of "Geordie."

    Camps, Quarters and Casual Places

    Archibald Forbes

  • Every one present laughed at the exordium (and there the matter dropped).

  • Fuller looked a little scared at this exordium, but Rachel did not notice him.

    Aunt Rachel

    David Christie Murray

  • Similarly, in the case of speeches, the exordium is prior in order to the narrative.

  • Your exordium was so singularly clear, that I did not understand you before.

British Dictionary definitions for exordium

exordium

noun plural -diums or -dia (-dɪə)
  1. an introductory part or beginning, esp of an oration or discourse
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Derived Formsexordial, adjective

Word Origin for exordium

C16: from Latin, from exōrdīrī to begin, from ōrdīrī to begin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012