headnote

American  

[hed-noht] / ˈhɛdˌnoʊt /

noun

1. a brief summary, comment, or explanation that precedes a chapter, report, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of headnote

First recorded in 1850–55; head + note

Example Sentences

But it also reflects the way recipes are often treated as modular — headnote, ingredients, directions — rather than as a single narrative with a beginning, middle and end.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

“He said the wording on the method isn’t the same, there is no similarity on the headnote — tough luck,” said Ms. Martin, who is now a freelance editor.

From New York Times • Nov. 29, 2021

Correction: A headnote as well as make-ahead and storage notes for this recipe were omitted when this story was first published.

From Washington Post • Mar. 22, 2021

The blog-style recipe headnote is trying to forge connection with a dedicated audience—a basic function of writing, and especially of writing in the internet era.

From Slate • Feb. 20, 2020

Parenthetical Roman numerals do not correspond to the editor’s section headings, but the text summary is generally similar to the appropriate headnote.

From Early English Alliterative Poems in the West-Midland Dialect of the Fourteenth Century by Morris, Richard