preliminary
Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Acronyms, Wikipedia.
Related to preliminary: Preliminary hearing, preliminary report
pre·lim·i·nar·y
(prĭ-lĭm′ə-nĕr′ē)adj.
Prior to or preparing for the main matter, action, or business; introductory or prefatory.
n. pl. pre·lim·i·nar·ies
often preliminaries Something that precedes another item of a similar kind, especially:
a. A contest to determine the finalists in a competition.
b. An event that precedes the main event, especially in boxing or wrestling.
c. An academic examination taken before a longer, more complex, or more important examination.
d. An introductory remark made before a speech, presentation, or meeting.
[From New Latin praelīmināris : Latin prae-, pre- + Latin līmen, līmin-, threshold.]
pre·lim′i·nar′i·ly (-nâr′ə-lē) adv.
Synonyms: preliminary, introductory, prefatory, preparatory
These adjectives mean going before and preparing the way for something else: a preliminary investigation; introductory remarks; an author's prefatory notes; preparatory steps.
These adjectives mean going before and preparing the way for something else: a preliminary investigation; introductory remarks; an author's prefatory notes; preparatory steps.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
preliminary
(prɪˈlɪmɪnərɪ)adj
(usually prenominal) occurring before or in preparation; introductory
n, pl -naries
1. a preliminary event or occurrence
2. (General Sporting Terms) an eliminating contest held before the main competition
[C17: from New Latin praelīmināris, from Latin prae before + līmen threshold]
preˈliminarily adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pre•lim•i•nar•y
(prɪˈlɪm əˌnɛr i)adj., n., pl. -nar•ies. adj.
1. preceding and leading up to the main part, matter, or business; introductory; preparatory.
n. 2. something preliminary, as an introductory or preparatory step, measure, or stage.
3. a sports or athletic contest, esp. a boxing match, that takes place before the main event on the program.
4. a preliminary examination, as of a candidate for an academic degree.
pre•lim`i•nar′i•ly, adv.
syn: 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 that would encumber the main subject or problem; it often deals with arrangements and the like that 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.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | preliminary - a minor match preceding the main event |
| 2. | preliminary - something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner" inception, origination, origin - an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events | |
| Adj. | 1. | preliminary - denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important; designed to orient or acquaint with a situation before proceeding; "a preliminary investigation" explorative, exploratory - serving in or intended for exploration or discovery; "an exploratory operation"; "exploratory reconnaissance"; "digging an exploratory well in the Gulf of Mexico"; "exploratory talks between diplomats" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
preliminary
adjective
1. first, opening, trial, initial, test, pilot, prior, introductory, preparatory, exploratory, initiatory, prefatory, precursory Preliminary talks began yesterday.
2. qualifying, eliminating the last match of the preliminary rounds
noun
1. introduction, opening, beginning, foundation, start, preparation, first round, prelude, preface, overture, initiation, preamble, groundwork, prelims Today's survey is a preliminary to a more detailed one.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
preliminary
adjective1. Before or in preparation for the main matter, action, or business:
2. Serving to introduce a subject or person, for example:
3. Not perfected, elaborated, or completed:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَمْهيدي، إبْتِدائي
předběžnýúvodní
indledende
einleitendpräliminärvorläufig
undirbúnings-, for-
parengtinispreliminarus
iepriekšējs, sagatavošanas-ievada-
ön hazırlayıcı
preliminary
[prɪˈlɪmɪnərɪ]A. ADJ → preliminar
B. N
1. → prolegómeno m
a background check is normally a preliminary to a presidential appointment → la comprobación del historial personal es normalmente un prolegómeno al nombramiento de presidente
let's dispense with the preliminaries and get down to business → dejémonos de prolegómenos or preámbulos y vayamos al grano
a background check is normally a preliminary to a presidential appointment → la comprobación del historial personal es normalmente un prolegómeno al nombramiento de presidente
let's dispense with the preliminaries and get down to business → dejémonos de prolegómenos or preámbulos y vayamos al grano
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
preliminary
[prɪˈlɪmɪnəri] adj
[results, talks, discussions, findings] → préliminaire
n
(SPORT) → éliminatoire fpreliminary hearing n → audience f préliminairePreliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test n (US) test déterminant l'aptitude d'un candidat à présenter l'examen d'entrée à l'université
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
preliminary
adj remarks, chapter → einleitend; steps, measures → vorbereitend; report, results, tests → vorläufig; stage → früh; preliminary negotiations → Vorverhandlungen pl; preliminary investigation → Voruntersuchung f; preliminary contacts → erste Kontakte; preliminary round → Vorrunde f
n → Einleitung f → (to zu); (= preparatory measure) → Vorbereitung f, → vorbereitende Maßnahme; (Sport) → Vorspiel nt; preliminaries → Präliminarien pl (geh, Jur); (for speech) → einführende or einleitende Worte; (Sport) → Vorrunde f; the preliminaries are complete, now the actual work can begin → die Vorarbeit ist getan, jetzt kann die eigentliche Arbeit anfangen; all the preliminaries to something → alles, was einer Sache (dat) → vorausgeht; let’s dispense with the preliminaries → kommen wir gleich zur Sache; as a preliminary → als Vorarbeit, als Vorbereitung
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
preliminary
(priˈliminəri) adjective coming before, and preparing for, something. The chairman made a few preliminary remarks before introducing the speaker.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
preliminary
a. preliminar, antecedente.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
preliminary
adj preliminarEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.