What does "prelude" mean?
An introductory or preliminary performance or event.
Prelude
/ˈpɹɛljuːd/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An introductory or preliminary performance or event.
- Grammar: prelude is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: overture, antecedence, antecedency, antechamber.
- Useful contrasts: dramatic turn of events, aftermath, aftermath effects.
- Usage evidence: They came early so they wouldn't miss the prelude.
How to use "prelude"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "prelude" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "prelude" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "prelude" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "prelude" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "prelude" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "overture" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "prelude", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An introductory or preliminary performance or event.
"Adam Schiff, a Democratic senator from California, called it a “very dangerous escalation and a prelude to potential conflict”."
- 2 music that precedes a fugue or introduces an act in an opera wordnet
- 3 A short, free-form piece of music, originally one serving as an introduction to a longer and more complex piece; later, starting with the Romantic period, generally a stand-alone piece.
- 4 something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows wordnet
- 5 A standard module or library of subroutines and functions to be imported, generally by default, into a program.
"In the same way that Rust has a general prelude that brings certain types and functions into scope automatically, the std::io module has its own prelude of common types and functions you'll need when working with I/O."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A forerunner to anything. figuratively
"Swimmings of the head and intestinal pains seemed the prelude of dissolution."
Verb
- 1 To introduce something, as a prelude.
- 2 play as a prelude wordnet
- 3 To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance.
"The musicians preluded on their instruments."
- 4 serve as a prelude or opening to wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"They came early so they wouldn't miss the prelude."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "prelude"?
Common synonyms include: overture, antecedence, antecedency, antechamber, antechambers, anteposition.
How do you use "prelude" in a sentence?
They came early so they wouldn't miss the prelude.
How do you pronounce "prelude"?
Pronounced /ˈpɹɛljuːd/.
Etymology
From Middle French prélude (“singing to test a musical instrument”), from Medieval Latin preludium, from Latin praelūdere.