preliminary

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​lim·​i·​nary pri-ˈli-mə-ˌner-ē 

: coming before and usually forming a necessary prelude to something else

preliminary studies

preliminary results

preliminarily

pri-ˌli-mə-ˈner-ə-lē 

adverb

preliminary

2 of 2

noun

plural preliminaries

: something that precedes or is introductory or preparatory: such as

a

: a preliminary heat or trial (as of a race)

b

: a minor match preceding the main event (as of a boxing card)

c

: a preliminary scholastic examination

d

preliminaries plural, British : front matter

Synonyms

Adjective

• beginning
• introductory
• precursory
• prefatory
• prelim
• prelusive
• preparative
• preparatory
• primary

Noun

• curtain-raiser
• overture
• preamble
• prelude
• prologue
• prolog
• warm-up

Examples of preliminary in a Sentence

Adjective

Preliminary findings show that the drug could help patients with skin cancer.

The team was eliminated in the preliminary round of the tournament.

research that is preliminary to the study

Noun

a meeting to discuss seating arrangements that was merely a preliminary to the formal negotiating sessions

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Since Naeher announced the end of her international career, Hayes has called in six goalkeepers (counting her preliminary squad and January training camp), with no clarity on who has the upper hand to start. —Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025

Tacopina had begun working Ephron, the accusing witness, a year before the trial in the preliminary hearing. —Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 4 Apr. 2025

Noun

While the diving kicked off Thursday, the swimming gets underway with preliminaries on Friday, with the finals for both swimming and diving slated for Saturday. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2025

Her six-game outburst in the state preliminaries screamed of consistency, with no score lower than 217 and none higher than 269. —Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French préliminaires, plural, from Medieval Latin praeliminaris, adjective, preliminary, from Latin prae- pre- + limin-, limen threshold

First Known Use

Adjective

1657, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preliminary

• accretionary
• apothecary
• bicentenary
• certiorari
• concessionary
• concretionary
• confectionary
• confectionery
• constabulary
• contemporary
• deflationary
• depositary

Kids Definition

preliminary

1 of 2 noun

pre·​lim·​i·​nary pri-ˈlim-ə-ˌner-ē 

plural preliminaries

: something preliminary

preliminary

2 of 2 adjective

: coming before the main part or item : introductory

preliminarily

-ˌlim-ə-ˈner-ə-lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

preliminary

adjective

pre·​lim·​i·​nary

pri-ˈli-mə-ˌner-ē

: coming before and usually serving as a temporary or intermediate step to something

preliminary negotiations

a preliminary payment plan

preliminarily adverb

preliminary noun