preliminary

American  

[pri-lim-uh-ner-ee] / prɪˈlɪm əˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. preceding and leading up to the main part, matter, or business; introductory; preparatory.

   preliminary examinations.

   Synonyms:

   prefatory

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noun

plural

preliminaries

1. something preliminary, as an introductory or preparatory step, measure, contest, etc..

   He passed the preliminary and went on to the finals.

2. a boxing match or other athletic contest that takes place before the main event on the program.

   A preliminary was fought at 8:00.

3. a preliminary examination, as of a candidate for an academic degree.

4. Printing. preliminaries, front matter.

preliminary British  

/ prɪˈlɪmɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. (usually prenominal) occurring before or in preparation; introductory

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noun

1. a preliminary event or occurrence

2. an eliminating contest held before the main competition

Related Words

Preliminary, introductory both refer to that which comes before the principal subject of consideration. That which is preliminary is in the nature of preparation or of clearing away details which would encumber the main subject or problem; it often deals with arrangements and the like, which have to do only incidentally with the principal subject: preliminary negotiations. That which is introductory leads with natural, logical, or close connection directly into the main subject of consideration: introductory steps.

Other Word Forms

• preliminarily adverb

Etymology

Origin of preliminary

First recorded in 1650–60; from French prélimin(aire) and New Latin praelīmināris ( pre-, liminal ) + -ary

Example Sentences

The Wuhan police department reported multiple incidents on Tuesday evening, citing a preliminary finding of a system failure.

From The Wall Street Journal

Abstracts presented at American Heart Association's scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

From Science Daily

"After investigation, preliminary findings suggest the cause was system malfunction," police added, without specifying how many cars were impacted.

From Barron's

“At this stage, based on its preliminary assessment, the commission has found the project necessary and considers that the aid facilitates the development of an economic activity,” the EU’s executive arm said in a statement.

From The Wall Street Journal

For more affordable tickets, look for preliminary rounds or new sports, including squash and flag football, the two sports making their Olympic debuts in 2028.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• exploratory
• preparatory
• prior