exordium

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ex=or=di=um

CIDE DICTIONARY

exordium, n. [L. fr. exordiri to begin a web, lay a warp, begin; ex out + ordiri to begin a web, begin; akin to E. order. See Order.].

 A beginning; an introduction; especially, the introductory part of a discourse or written composition, which prepares the audience for the main subject; the opening part of an oration.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

exordium, n. (pl. exordiums or exordia) the beginning or introductory part, esp. of a discourse or treatise.

Derivative

exordial adj. exordially adv.

Etymology

L f. exordiri (as EX-(1), ordiri begin)

ROGET THESAURUS

exordium

Precursor

N precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor, forerunner, vancourier, avant-coureur, pioneer, prodrome, prodromos, prodromus, outrider, leader, bellwether, herald, harbinger, foreboding, dawn, avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare, forelooper, foreloper, stalking-horse, voorlooper, voortrekker, prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction, heading, frontispiece, groundwork, preparation, overture, exordium, symphony, premises, prefigurement, omen, precursory, prelusive, prelusory, preludious, proemial, introductory, prefatory, prodromous, inaugural, preliminary, precedent, a precedent embalms a principle.