front matter

American  

noun

Printing.

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

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front matter British  

noun

1. another name for prelims

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Etymology

Origin of front matter

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

Weeks later, a bemused Hackford called King again to confess they’d been unable to locate Little Tall Island, notwithstanding the hand-drawn map in the book’s front matter.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2025

At the risk of reading too much into a book’s front matter, it helps to know that Groff’s sister, to whom she dedicates the book, is superstar triathlete Sarah True.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2023

Introduction: The first section of a report after any front matter, such as an abstract or table of contents.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

Paging through this front matter feels like waiting for a haunted carnival ride to start, only to be wrong-footed.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 31, 2019

Running headers and footers, some front matter, and some repeated titles, have been omitted.

From Nonsense Novels by Leacock, Stephen