Pl. exordiums, exordia. [L. exordium, f. exordīrī to begin, f. ex- + ordīrī to begin.] The beginning of anything; esp. the introductory part of a discourse, treatise, etc.; ‘the proemial part of a composition’ (J.).
[1531. Elyot, Gov., I. xiv. Onely they lacke pleasaunt fourme of begynnyng, called in latin Exordium.]
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 515. Saint Paule … doeth with a godly Exordium touch the arrogancie of the false Apostles.
1594. Drayton, Idea, 533. Some … With Flames and Lightnings their Exordiums paint.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., II. Pref. (1739), 2. I shall consider them jointly, as in way of Exordium to the rest.
1736. West, Lett., in Gray’s Poems (1775), 11. My poor little Eclogue … has been condemned … an exordium of about sixteen lines absolutely cut off.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., iii. With this exordium … Nickleby took a newspaper from his pocket.
1850. Grote, Greece, II. lvii. (1862), V. 133. Alkibiades started up forthwith—his impatience breaking loose from the formalities of an exordium.
