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 of preliminary

Adjective

• preparatory
• introductory

Noun

• prelude

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

The Olathe City Council unanimously approved rezoning land for the project and its preliminary site development plans Tuesday. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2026

The preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics data for June shows the teen employment-to-population ratio at a nine-month low and the unemployment rate trending higher than a year ago. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Noun

But all of that was just the preliminaries for Grady Emerson. — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026

The meet continues Thursday, a day consisting largely of women’s preliminaries, followed by men’s finals Friday and women’s finals Saturday. — Mike Wilson, New York Times, 11 June 2026

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