English Meaning & Definitions
Denoting an action or event preceding or preparing for something more important.
- “The runners completed a preliminary warm-up before the main race began.”
- “After preliminary discussions, both parties agreed to move forward with the contract.”
An action or event serving as an introduction or preparation for something more important.
- “He dispensed with the usual preliminaries and got straight to the point of the meeting.”
- “The preliminary to the championship match was a short exhibition game.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “preliminary”.
Derived from the French 'préliminaire', which comes from the Medieval Latin 'praeliminaris'. This is formed from the Latin 'prae-' (before) and 'limen' (threshold). Literally, it means 'before the threshold', referring to something that happens before the main event or entry.
Think of 'pre' (before) + 'lim' (limit/threshold). It is the action taken before you cross the threshold into the main event.
Frequently Asked Questions About “preliminary”
1. What is the meaning of “preliminary” in English?
In English, preliminary (adjective) is defined as: “Denoting an action or event preceding or preparing for something more important.”.
2. How do you use “preliminary” in a sentence?
“The runners completed a preliminary warm-up before the main race began.”
3. What are English synonyms of “preliminary”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “preliminary”?
Derived from the French 'préliminaire', which comes from the Medieval Latin 'praeliminaris'. This is formed from the Latin 'prae-' (before) and 'limen' (threshold). Literally, it means 'before the threshold', referring to something that happens before the main event or entry.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.