Meanings
plural prolegomena
- A prefatory discussion; a formal essay or critical discussion serving to introduce and interpret an extended work.
Frye here is not rewriting myth as some assume. Her prolegomenon is intended to be read as fiction not autobiography.
1990 April 28, Patricia Roth Schwartz, “The Odd Couple”, in Gay Community News, page 71 more example
This book is a critique of the order-maintenance approach to criminal justice, but it is also a prolegomenon to a new vision of punishment and criminal justice policy analysis.
2001, Bernard E. Harcourt, Illusion of Order
Origin
From the Ancient Greek neuter noun: προλεγόμενον (prolegómenon, “that which is said beforehand,”) [plural: προλεγόμενα (prolegómena), from the verb: προλέγω (prolégō, “I say before[hand]”)] referring to an introduction.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مُقَدِّمَة
- مُقَدِّمَة (muqaddima)prefatory discussion
Bulgarian уводни бележки
- уводни бележки (uvodni beležki)prefatory discussion
Chinese Mandarin 緒論 /绪论, 前言
- 緒論 /绪论 (xùlùn)prefatory discussion
- 前言 (qiányán)prefatory discussion
Finnish johdanto, johdatus
- johdantoprefatory discussion
- johdatusprefatory discussion
French prolégomènes
- prolégomènesprefatory discussion
German Prolegomenon
- Prolegomenonprefatory discussion
Polish prolegomenon
- prolegomenonprefatory discussion
Russian пролего́мен
- пролего́мен (prolegómen)prefatory discussion
Spanish prolegómeno
- prolegómenoprefatory discussion
Welsh prolegomenon
- prolegomenonprefatory discussion
Cite this entry
prolegomenon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prolegomenon
“prolegomenon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prolegomenon. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prolegomenon,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prolegomenon.
Source: prolegomenon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.