Meaning

noun a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book

verb furnish with a preface or introduction

originLate 14th century, from Middle English preface, prefas, from Old French preface (from which derives the modern French préface), from Medieval Latin prefātia, for classical Latin praefātiō (“a saying beforehand”), from praefor (“to speak beforehand”), from prae- (“beforehand”) + for (“to speak”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0