noun
- a preface or preamble to a book or speech
Usage: formal; literary
Examples
- The author’s proem explained his motivation for writing the novel.
- In his proem, the speaker outlined the main themes of his lecture.
- The epic poem begins with a brief proem invoking the muse.
- She skipped the proem and went straight to the first chapter.
- The proem served as an introduction to the philosophical treatise.
- His proem was longer than some of the actual chapters.