Legal Definitions - preamble

A preamble is an introduction to a document, such as a constitution or statute, that explains the document's purpose and goals. It can also be a statement of the problems that the document is trying to solve.

• The preamble to the United States Constitution begins with the famous words, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union..." This sets the tone for the rest of the document and explains its purpose.
• In a patent, the preamble is the first part of a claim that identifies the field of art. For example, a patent for a new type of bicycle might have a preamble that says, "A bicycle comprising..."

These examples illustrate how a preamble is used to introduce a document and provide context for its contents.