Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Exordium
Ex-or′di-um
(-ŭm)
, Noun.
pl. E.
Exordiums
(-ŭmz)
, L. Exordia
(-ȧ)
. [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.
“The exordium of repentance.” Jer. Taylor.
“Long prefaces and exordiums. ” Addison.
Webster 1828 Edition
Exordium
EXORD'IUM
,Noun.
plu.
Definition 2024
exordium
exordium
English
Noun
exordium (plural exordiums or exordia)
- A beginning
- The introduction to a paper or discourse.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.17:
- Cicero thinks, in discourses of philosophy, the exordium to be the hardest part: if it be so, I wisely lay hold on the conclusion.
- 1985, Anthony Burgess, Kingdom of the Wicked:
- This is a feeble article of faith to begin with, but it helps to push my pen through this exordium and what now follows.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.17:
Translations
beginning
introduction to a paper or discourse
Latin
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ekˈsor.di.um/, [ɛkˈsɔr.di.ũ]
Noun
exordium n (genitive exordiī); second declension
- beginning, commencement
- introduction, preface
- foundation, creation (Example: ab exordio urbis)
Inflection
Second declension.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | exordium | exordia |
| genitive | exordiī | exordiōrum |
| dative | exordiō | exordiīs |
| accusative | exordium | exordia |
| ablative | exordiō | exordiīs |
| vocative | exordium | exordia |
Descendants
References
- exordium in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- exordium in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- Félix Gaffiot (1934), “exordium”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
- Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
- the conversation began in this way: sermo inductus a tali exordio
- the conversation began in this way: sermo inductus a tali exordio