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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.
exordiums. [L. from exodior; ex and ordior, to begin. See Order.] In oratory, the beginning; the introductory part of a discourse, which prepares the audience for the main subject; the preface or proemial part of a composition. The exordium may be formal and deliberate, or abrupt and vehement, according to the nature of the subject and occasion.

Definition 2025

exordium

exordium

English

Noun

exordium ‎(plural exordiums or exordia)

  1. A beginning
  2. 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.

Translations

Latin

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ekˈsor.di.um/, [ɛkˈsɔr.di.ũ]

Noun

exordium n ‎(genitive exordiī); second declension

  1. beginning, commencement
  2. introduction, preface
  3. 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

Etymology

From Latin exōrdium ‎(“beginning, commencement”), from exōrdior ‎(“I begin, commence”), from ex ‎(“out of, from”) + ōrdior ‎(“I begin”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛɡˈzɔːdɪəm/

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