Something spoken as introductory to a discourse, or written as introductory to a book or essay, intended to inform the hearer or reader of the main design, or in general, of whatever is necessary to the understanding of the discourse, book or essay; a poem; an introduction or series of preliminary remarks.

To introduce by preliminary remarks; as, to preface a book or discourse. The advocate prefaced his argument with a history of the case.

To face; to cover; a ludicrous sense. Not prefacing old rags with plush.

To say something introductory.