Definitions for preliminary
prɪˈlɪm əˌnɛr ipre·lim·i·na·ry

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.8 / 4 votes

1. preliminary, prelimnoun

   a minor match preceding the main event

2. preliminary, overture, preludeadjective

   something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows

   "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner"

3. preliminaryadjective

   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"

WiktionaryRate this definition:1.5 / 2 votes

1. preliminarynoun

   A preparation for a main matter; an introduction

2. preliminarynoun

   Any of a series of sports events that determine the finalists

3. preliminarynoun

   A relatively minor contest that precedes a major one, especially in boxing

4. preliminaryadjective

   in preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory

   These are just the preliminary results.

5. Etymology: From the préliminaire or from the Modern praeliminaris, formed from prae + limen, + -aris (adjectival suffix); compare the liminaris.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Preliminaryadjective

   Previous; introductory; proemial.

   Etymology: preliminaire, Fr. præ limine, Lat.

   My master needed not the assistance of that preliminary poet to prove his claim; his own majestick mien discovers him to be the king. Dryden.

2. Preliminarynoun

   Something previous; preparatory measures.

   The third consists of the ceremonies of the oath on both sides, and the preliminaries to the combat. Notes on Iliad.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.4 / 7 votes

1. Preliminaryadjective

   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. Preliminarynoun

   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

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Preliminary

   prē-lim′in-ar-i, adj. introductory: preparatory: preceding or preparing for the main discourse or business.—n. that which precedes: introduction—used mostly in pl.—adv. Prelim′inarily. [L. præ, before, liminaris, relating to a threshold—limen, liminis, a threshold.]

British National Corpus

1. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'preliminary' in Adjectives Frequency: #670

How to pronounce preliminary?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say preliminary in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of preliminary in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of preliminary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of preliminary in a Sentence

1. Gennady Moskal:

   According to preliminary data, four Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and two others have been wounded, one of them seriously.

2. Victor Gobitz:

   They were receptive ... but it's up to them to evaluate the preliminary proposal.

3. The FIA:

   There shall be a preliminary hearing to determine if a 'new element' as defined in...the Code exists, this will be followed by another hearing to conduct the review(s), if any new element is determined by the stewards to exist.

4. Ungad Chadda:

   I can't remember a time in recent years where we had so many IPO (initial public offerings) files both live, ongoing, filing preliminary prospectuses, and in terms of pipeline, there seems to be an investor appetite in rotating into sectors relating to innovation.

5. Bill Barr:

   I accept that there is some preliminary activity that suggests that United States might try again, it wouldn't surprise me if Russia tries something again of the same general genre before.

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