Prolegomenon

‖n.; pl. Prolegomena [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, properly neut. pass. p. pr. of &unr_; to say beforehand; &unr_; before + &unr_; to say. ] A preliminary remark or observation; an introductory discourse prefixed to a book or treatise. D. Stokes (1659). Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]