Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Rhetoric) The introductory section of an oration or discourse: An "exordium" is the formal beginning or opening part of a speech, essay, or treatise, designed to introduce the subject and prepare the audience.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The speaker's exordium was so captivating that it immediately grabbed the audience's attention.
  • In classical rhetoric, the exordium serves to make the audience well-disposed and attentive.

Advanced Usage

• "To deliver an exordium": To present or give the introductory part of a formal speech.
  • The lawyer delivered a powerful exordium before presenting the evidence.

Variants and Related Words

• Exordial (adj): Pertaining to or of the nature of an exordium; introductory.
  • The essay's exordial paragraph set the tone for the entire argument.

Synonyms

• Introduction: The opening section of a text or speech.
• Preamble: A preliminary or introductory statement.
• Prologue: An introductory section of a literary or musical work.
• Preface: An introduction to a book, typically stating its subject or aims.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "exordium" is primarily used in formal, academic, or rhetorical contexts. It is less common in everyday conversation, where words like "introduction" or "opening" are preferred.
• It specifically refers to the structured beginning intended to establish the speaker's credibility and the audience's receptiveness.

Noun

1. (rhetoric) the introductory section of an oration or discourse