Trailer

[koster]

Why is a (cinema) trailer called a trailer? In transport a trailer comes after the towing vehicle, but in the cinema a trailer comes before the film. Did cinema trailers once come after the film?

[Quizmonster]

The word is used in the sense of 'blazing a trail'...ie hacking a course, for example, through jungle. In other words, one is setting a track for others to follow. So, no, trailers never did come after the films they referred to!

[snook]

Interesting question, and answer from QM. Another way of looking at it might be that years ago, when it was common for cinemas to show more than one feature, plus cartoons, trailers were run between the items. So (if my memory serves me correctly) trailers were actually shown both before and after a film.

If this is correct, then 'trailer', meaning coming after would make sense, and it was in those days that the word first gained currency so that would fit.