prolegomenon

/ˌproʊləˈɡɑmənɑn/
noun
  1. A critical introduction or preliminary discussion that explains the purpose, scope, or method of a book or scholarly work.
    • Students often skip the prolegomenon, but it contains important background information.
    • In the prolegomenon, the philosopher outlines the main questions he will address.
    • The author wrote a lengthy prolegomenon to explain his research approach.
Antonyms
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