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prettygoodwordproem (PROH-em) - n., a preface or preamble, especially to a poetic work.
The adjectival form is proemial, which is one of those delightful words that looks like a misspelling. In Middle English, including one use in The Canterbury Tales, it was spelled proheme, which arrived via Middle French proeme, from Latin prooemium, from Greek prooímion, prelude (to anything, but especially to music or poetry), from pro-, before + oímē, song + -ion, diminutive suffix.
---L.
The adjectival form is proemial, which is one of those delightful words that looks like a misspelling. In Middle English, including one use in The Canterbury Tales, it was spelled proheme, which arrived via Middle French proeme, from Latin prooemium, from Greek prooímion, prelude (to anything, but especially to music or poetry), from pro-, before + oímē, song + -ion, diminutive suffix.
---L.
