front matter

See synonyms for front matter on Thesaurus.com

nounPrinting.

all material in a book that precedes the text proper, as the title page, copyright page, table of contents, dedication, and preface.

Origin of front matter

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Also called preliminaries.

Compare back matter.

Words Nearby front matter

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use front matter in a sentence

front matter consisting of a blurb and a list of other publications by the author has been moved to the end of the text.
Storm Over Warlock | Andre Norton
The frontispiece illustration and introductory front matter has been moved to follow the title page.
King of Camargue | Jean Aicard
Inexplicably, the pagination of this text's front matter runs i-xi, then begins again at v for the list of plates and reviews.
Blacker's Art of Fly Making, &c. | William Blacker
The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the front matter.
Pirates | Anonymous
The cover image has been created using the information from and design of the original front matter.
A New History of Blue Beard | Gaffer Black Beard

British Dictionary definitions for front matter

front matter

noun

another name for prelims (def. 1)

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

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