Preliminary

/prɪˈlɪmɪˌnɛri/

Meaning & Definition

noun

An action or event that serves as an introduction to something more important.

The teacher assigned a preliminary to assess the students' understanding of the topic.

A preliminary examination or test.

He passed the preliminary, allowing him to move on to the next phase of the interview process.

adjective

Serving as a preparation or introduction; introductory.

The preliminary rounds of the competition will narrow down the contestants.

Coming before the main event, action, or situation.

We held a preliminary meeting to discuss the project before the official launch.

Occurring at the beginning; initial.

The researchers conducted preliminary studies before embarking on the full-scale experiment.

From Latin 'prælimināris', meaning 'serving as a threshold'.

preliminary round

An initial round in a competition or selection process.

preliminary findings

Initial results or observations from a study or research.

preliminary assessment

An initial evaluation to gather essential information.

prelude

An introductory action or event.

preface

An introductory statement or explanation.

prologue

An introductory section of a literary work.