prelude
Americannoun
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preludes
plural
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a preliminary to an action, event, condition, or work of broader scope and higher importance.
- Synonyms:
- beginning, opening, introduction
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any action, event, comment, etc. that precedes something else.
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Music.
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a relatively short, independent instrumental composition, free in form and resembling an improvisation.
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a piece that precedes a more important movement.
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the overture to an opera.
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an independent piece, of moderate length, sometimes used as an introduction to a fugue.
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music opening a church service; an introductory voluntary.
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verb (used with object)
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preludes,
present (3rd person singular)
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preluded,
past participle, past
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preluding
present participle
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to serve as a prelude or introduction to.
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to introduce by a prelude.
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to play as a prelude.
verb (used without object)
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preludes,
present (3rd person singular)
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preluded,
past participle, past
-
preluding
present participle
-
to serve as a prelude.
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to give a prelude.
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to play a prelude.
noun
-
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a piece of music that precedes a fugue, or forms the first movement of a suite, or an introduction to an act in an opera, etc
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(esp for piano) a self-contained piece of music
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something serving as an introduction or preceding event, occurrence, etc
verb
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to serve as a prelude to (something)
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(tr) to introduce by a prelude
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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preludernoun
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prelusionnoun
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preludialadjective
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preludiousadjective
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prelusiveadjective
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unpreludedadjective
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preludiouslyadverb
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prelusivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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preludesimple
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preludessimple
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have preludedperfect
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has preludedperfect
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am preludingprogressive
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are preludingprogressive
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is preludingprogressive
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have been preludingperfect progressive
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has been preludingperfect progressive
Past
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preludedsimple
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had preludedperfect
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was preludingprogressive
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were preludingprogressive
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had been preludingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prelude
1555–65; (noun) < Medieval Latin praelūdium, equivalent to prae- pre- + -lūdium play; compare Latin lūdus play; (v.) < Latin praelūdere to play beforehand
Explanation
A prelude is an introductory action, event, or performance that comes before a bigger or more momentous one. It is made of up the prefix pre- meaning "before," and the Latin root ludere meaning "play." Speakers of old school French and Latin understood a prelude to be the notes that they would play or sing to warm up or test an instrument. Today preludes are more like introductions than practice, but you can still think of them as small warm ups to the main events. Preludes are often used in classical music, as well as in novels, to set the tone for the rest of the orchestral piece or story.
Vocabulary lists containing prelude
"Two Kinds" (from The Joy Luck Club) by Amy Tan
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The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
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"Total Loss Weekend" by Don Delillo
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
His peregrinations are the prelude to a love story as passionate as it is fleeting.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Keurig Dr Pepper struck a deal to buy Peet’s Coffee owner JDE Peet’s for $18 billion last year, a prelude to spinning off its coffee brands into a separate public company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
As much as Baker tried to keep his focus on Kent, however, many kept telling him that this visit was a prelude to his induction next summer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
A 2023 victory over Troy Williamson should have been Agyarko's springboard to bigger fights but it proved little more than a prelude to a frustrating 12 months with just one low-key outing.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Now they were faced with the realization of separation, and in the appalled silence that followed the decision Longridge watched Elizabeth’s face screw up in the prelude to tears.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
It has also caused speculation among Russian analysts and the country’s political class over whether it preludes another draft.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
He started playing piano at the age of two and, at just 17, gave a remarkable two-and-a-half-hour concert featuring the 24 preludes and fugues by composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2024
After intermission came the second book of Debussy’s preludes, more convincing but not the old Pollini.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2024
In an interview, Darius said that his father had a shelf full of music theory books, and kept the scores of Bach and Shostakovich preludes and fugues next to his piano for reference.
From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2023
The piano music got closer; it was Chopin, one of the preludes, maybe.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
The Taliban did not issue a formal statement on the anniversary of the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks that preluded them being driven from power 20 years earlier.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 11, 2021
Similar marches have since preluded Pride events across the country.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 6, 2019
Seventy years later, it was lost to the modern urges that preluded the Seattle Century 21 World’s Fair.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 22, 2018
Last week came a Luther Day which was notable because it preluded bigger celebrations, to be held Nov. 10 on the 450th anniversary of Martin Luther's birth.
From Time Magazine Archive
It seemed to Jean now that it mattered little whether this grey hour of rain and silence preluded life or death.
From Olive in Italy by Moray Dalton
They were preluding a Pan-Pacific Buddhists' Conference to be held in Tokyo in 1934.
From Time Magazine Archive
Again atmosphere is evoked and the mood achieved by the lyre preluding of the poet.
From Franz Liszt by James Huneker
He was merely preluding in that fashion which the exactitude of the Tuscan law requires, and replying to the interesting interrogatories regarding his former life, so essential to a due understanding of his present complaint.
From Gerald Fitzgerald The Chevalier by Charles James Lever
A march, blown from Egyptian trumpets, followed, preluding the dance of priestesses which precedes the tenor's return.
From The Perfume of Eros: A Fifth Avenue Incident by Edgar Saltus
Through the closed curtains comes the early sun, First a pale finger, preluding the hand.
From Poems by Edward Shanks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
