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Prelude vs Prologue - What's the difference?

prelude | prologue |

As nouns the difference between prologue and prelude

is that prologue is a speech or section used as an introduction, especially to a play or novel while prelude is an introductory or preliminary performance or event; a preface.

As verbs the difference between prologue and prelude

is that prologue is to introduce with a formal preface, or prologue while prelude is to introduce something, as a prelude.

prelude

English

Alternative forms

* (archaic)

Noun

(en noun)
  • An introductory or preliminary performance or event; a preface.
  • (music) A short piece of music that acts as an introduction to a longer piece.
  • Verb

    (prelud)
  • To introduce something, as a prelude.
  • To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
  • The musicians preluded on their instruments.
  • * Jeffrey
  • We are preluding too largely, and must come at once to the point.

    References

    * ----

    prologue

    Alternative forms

    * prolog

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A speech or section used as an introduction, especially to a play or novel.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=“H'm !” he said, “so, so—it is a tragedy in a prologue and three acts. I am going down this afternoon to see the curtain fall for the third time on what [...] will prove a good burlesque ; but it all began dramatically enough. It was last Saturday […] that two boys, playing in the little spinney just outside Wembley Park Station, came across three large parcels done up in American cloth. […]”}}
  • One who delivers a prologue.
  • * 1602 , :
  • And hither am I come, / A Prologue armed, but not in confidence / Of author's pen or actor's voice,
  • (computing) A component of a computer program that prepares the computer to execute a routine.
  • Antonyms

    * (speech or section) epilogue

    Derived terms

    * prologise / prologize / prologuise / prologuize

    Verb

    (prologu)
  • To introduce with a formal preface, or prologue.
  • (Shakespeare)

    References

    *