prelude
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prel·ude
(prā′lo͞od′, -lyo͞od′; prĕl′o͞od′, -yo͞od′; prē′lo͞od′, -lyo͞od′)n.
1. An introductory performance, event, or action preceding a more important one; a preliminary or preface.
2. Music
a. A piece or movement that serves as an introduction to another section or composition and establishes the key, such as one that precedes a fugue, opens a suite, or precedes a church service.
b. A similar but independent composition for the piano.
c. The overture to an oratorio, opera, or act of an opera.
d. A short composition of the 1400s and early 1500s written in a free style, usually for keyboard.
v. prel·ud·ed, prel·ud·ing, prel·udes
v. tr.
1. To serve as a prelude to.
2. To introduce with or as if with a prelude.
v. intr.
To serve as a prelude or introduction.
[Medieval Latin praelūdium, from Latin praelūdere, to play beforehand : prae-, pre- + lūdere, to play; see leid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
prel′ud′er n.
pre·lu′di·al (prĭ-lo͞o′dē-əl) adj.
Usage Note: How should prelude be pronounced? In our 2015 survey, 72 percent of the Usage Panel preferred a long a (pronounced "pray") and 25 percent a short e (pronounced "prell") for the first syllable. The absence or presence of a glide—a short (y) sound—after coronal consonants such as d, t, or l is a regional variation. People who pronounce duty as (do͞o′tē) also tend to omit the glide after the l in prelude: (prā′lo͞od′). Those who pronounce duty as (dyo͞o′tē) will tend to include the glide: (prā′lyo͞od′).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
prelude
(ˈprɛljuːd)n
1. (Music, other)
a. 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
b. (esp for piano) a self-contained piece of music
2. something serving as an introduction or preceding event, occurrence, etc
vb
3. to serve as a prelude to (something)
4. (tr) to introduce by a prelude
[C16: (n) from Medieval Latin praelūdium, from prae before + -lūdium entertainment, from Latin lūdus play; (vb) from Late Latin praelūdere to play beforehand, rehearse, from lūdere to play]
preluder n
preˈludial adj
prelusion n
prelusive, prelusory adj
preˈlusively, preˈlusorily adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
prel•ude
(ˈprɛl yud, ˈpreɪl-, ˈpreɪ lud, ˈpri-)n., v. -ud•ed, -ud•ing. n.
1. a preliminary to an action, event, condition, or work of broader scope and higher importance.
2. any action, event, comment, etc., that precedes something else.
3. Music.
v.t. a. a relatively short, independent instrumental composition, free in form and resembling an improvisation.
b. a piece that is introductory to another piece, as a fugue.
c. the overture to an opera.
d. music opening a church service; an introductory voluntary.
4. to serve as a prelude or introduction to.
5. to introduce by a prelude.
6. to play as a prelude.
v.i. 7. to serve as a prelude.
8. to give a prelude.
9. to play a prelude.
[1555–65; < Medieval Latin praelūdium= Latin praelūd(ere) to compose a prelude (prae- pre- + lūdere to write for amusement, play) + -ium -ium1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
prelude
Past participle: preluded
Gerund: preluding
| Imperative |
|---|
| prelude |
| prelude |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | prelude - something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner" inception, origination, origin - an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events |
| 2. | prelude - music that precedes a fugue or introduces an act in an opera music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner chorale prelude - a composition for organ using a chorale as a basis for variations | |
| Verb | 1. | prelude - serve as a prelude or opening to |
| 2. | prelude - play as a prelude music - musical activity (singing or whistling etc.); "his music was his central interest" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
prelude
noun
1. introduction, beginning, preparation, preliminary, start, commencement, curtain-raiser The protests are now seen as the prelude to last year's uprising.
2. overture, opening, introduction, introductory movement the third-act Prelude of Parsifal
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
prelude
nounA short section of preliminary remarks:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَمْهيد، مُقَدِّمَهمُقَدِّمَه موسيقيَّه
preludi
předehrapreludiumúvod
indledningpræludium
elõjátékelõzményprelúdium
forspilundanfari
preliudas
iesākumsievadsprelūdija
prelúdium
girişprelüt
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
prelude
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
prelude
(ˈpreljuːd) noun1. an event etc that goes before, and acts as an introduction to, something.
2. a piece of music played as an introduction to the main piece.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.