Definition of Preliminary

1. Noun. A minor match preceding the main event.

Exact synonyms: Prelim
Generic synonyms: Athletic Competition, Athletic Contest, Athletics

2. Adjective. 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"

3. Noun. Something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows. "Drinks were the overture to dinner"
Exact synonyms: Overture, Prelude
Generic synonyms: Inception, Origin, Origination
Derivative terms: Prelude

Definition of Preliminary

1. a. Introductory; previous; preceding the main discourse or business; prefatory; as, preliminary observations to a discourse or book; preliminary articles to a treaty; preliminary measures; preliminary examinations.

2. n. That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one's preliminaries the year before entering college.

Definition of Preliminary

1. Adjective. in preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory ¹

2. Noun. A preparation for a main matter; an introduction ¹

3. Noun. Any of a series of sports events that determine the finalists ¹

4. Noun. A relatively minor contest that precedes a major one, especially in boxing ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Preliminary

1. [n -RIES]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Preliminary

preliberal
preliberation
prelicensing
prelife
prelight
prelighted
prelighting
prelights
prelim
preliminaries
preliminarily
preliminarily enjoin
preliminarily enjoined
preliminarily enjoining
preliminarily enjoins
preliminary
preliminary exam
preliminary examination
preliminary injunction
preliminary injunctions
preliminary prospectus
preliminatory
prelimit
prelimited
prelimiting
prelimits
prelims
prelingual
prelingually
prelinguistic

Literary usage of Preliminary

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. American Book Prices Current (1917)
"(broken; lacking first title and preliminary matter, and Bible. ... (rebacked, title-page in facsimile, lacking TI preliminary leaves and last 4 of the New ..."

2. The Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors by Charles Wells Moulton (1905)
"MACKINTOSH, Sm JAMES, 1830, Second Preliminary Dissertation, ... FIRST Preliminary DISSERTATION 1815-21 I have just read Dugald Stewart's "Preliminary ..."

3. Confessions of an English Opium-eater: And Suspiria de Profundis by Thomas De Quincey (1850)
"THESE preliminary confessions, or introductory narrative of the youthful adventures which laid the foundation of the writer's habit of opium eating in after ..."

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