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
pre'ludial
—adj
prelusion
—n
prelusive
—adj
prelusory
—adj
pre'lusively
—adv
pre'lusorily
—adv
prelude (ˈprɛljuːd)
—n
1.
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]
1561, from M.Fr. prélude "notes sung or played to test the voice or instrument" (1532), from M.L. preludium "prelude, preliminary," from L. præludere "to play beforehand for practice, preface," from præ- "before" + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous). Purely