Foretale

Origin

From - + fore + tale; compare foretell.

Full definition of foretale

Noun

1. An account or telling given as an introduction to a larger body of work; prologue; a prior or previous recollection or account of events
• 1995, Alice Kane, ‎Sean Kane, The Dreamer Awakes:The first three paragraphs of the translation are a condensed paraphrase of the first foretale, which tells of the birth of Aengus and how he obtains Etain for Midir by clearing twelve plains and creating twelve rivers (only nine are named in the story) ...
• 2006, Maureen O'Rourke Murphy, ‎James MacKillop, An Irish Literature Reader:The final foretale is a story of magical transformation with comic undertones, explaining how the two great bulls, the Brown and the Whitehorned, came to be.
2. An account given in advance; prediction

Synonyms

• (prologue) forespeech, foretalk; see also
• (prediction) foretelling

Antonyms

• (prologue) aftertale; see also

Related terms

• foretell