PRELIMINARY Definition & Meaning

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preliminary

[ pri-lim-uh-ner-ee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

preceding and leading up to the main part, matter, or business; introductory; preparatory:
preliminary examinations.
Synonyms:

noun

plural preliminaries.

something preliminary, as an introductory or preparatory step, measure, contest, etc.:
He passed the preliminary and went on to the finals.
a boxing match or other athletic contest that takes place before the main event on the program:
A preliminary was fought at 8:00.
a preliminary examination, as of a candidate for an academic degree.
preliminaries, Printing. front matter.

preliminary

/ ��ɪˈ��ɪ��ɪ��ə��ɪ /

adjective

usually prenominal occurring before or in preparation; introductory

noun

a preliminary event or occurrence
an eliminating contest held before the main competition

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Derived Forms

��ˈ��Բ��, adverb

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Other �y��vlog Forms

��·��i·�Բ��i·�� adverb

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of preliminary¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from French ��é��(��) and New Latin ��ī�� ( pre-, liminal ) + -ary

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of preliminary¹

C17: from New Latin ��ī��, from Latin prae before + ��ī�� threshold

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Synonym Study

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 which would encumber the main subject or problem; it often deals with arrangements and the like, which 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.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But a spokesperson for the California Department of Education provided a preliminary reaction.

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Those orders and other Trump actions have triggered more than 67 lawsuits seeking preliminary injunctions or temporary restraining orders, Vladeck calculated; federal judges have granted some relief in 46 of those cases.

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Though overdose numbers fell last year, preliminary data for 2025 show them creeping back up.

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The Yale study’s authors defend their decision to post the preprint online even as a preliminary study of post-vaccine medical conditions.

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The Fox project is in the preliminary approval phase with the city.

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