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Synonyms

preparatory

American  
[pri-par-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -pair-, prep-er-uh-] / prɪˈpær əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, -ˈpɛər-, ˈprɛp ər ə- /

adjective

  1. serving or designed to prepare.

    preparatory arrangements.

  2. preliminary; introductory.

    preparatory remarks.

  3. of or relating to training that prepares for more advanced education.

idioms

  1. preparatory to, in advance of; before.

    The astronauts met with the press preparatory to lifting off.
preparatory British  
/ -trɪ, prɪˈpærətərɪ /

adjective

  1. serving to prepare

  2. introductory or preliminary

  3. occupied in preparation

  4. as a preparation to; before

    a drink preparatory to eating
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonpreparatory adjective
  • preparatorily adverb

Etymology

Origin of preparatory

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word praeparātōrius. See prepare, -tory 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By placing them side by side with his preparatory drawings, visitors can better understand Raphael's creative process.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Nkanu Adichie-Esege, one of twins, died on 7 January after complications arose during preparatory medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

That’s in part because it decided to experiment with age-verification steps in Australia long before it received the government’s letter, as a preparatory step.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2026

And rather than making use of preparatory sketches, Titian painted alla prima—going straight to work on the blank surface.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

It was then that the prosecution began its exam-ination of expert witnesses commencing with the long-suffering Professor Murray, its supposed expert in communism who had proved so inept in his subject during the preparatory examination.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.