Preliminary definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

preliminary in American English · 1. preceding and leading up to the main part, matter, or business; introductory; preparatory · 2. something preliminary, as an ... EnglishDictionary Thesaurus Thesaurus AmericanThesaurus WordLists Grammar EnglishEasyLearningGrammar GrammarPatterns EnglishUsage TeachingResources VideoGuides Conjugations Quiz Englishgrammar Englishcollocations Englishconfusables Englishidioms Englishusage Thematicwordlists English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Chinese Definitionof 'preliminary'    WordFrequency Share× Credits× preliminary (prɪlɪmɪnri ,US-neri ) Wordforms:pluralpreliminaries 1. adjective[usuallyADJECTIVEnoun] Preliminaryactivitiesordiscussionstakeplaceatthebeginningofanevent,oftenasaformofpreparation. PreliminaryresultsshowtheRepublicanpartywith11percentofthevote. ...preliminarytalksonthefutureofthebases. 2. countablenoun Apreliminaryissomethingthatyoudoatthebeginningofanactivity,oftenasaformofpreparation. Ithadtakenabouttenminutestocoverthepreliminaries. Abackgroundcheckisnormallyapreliminarytoapresidentialappointment. 3. countablenoun Apreliminaryisthefirstpartofacompetitiontoseewhowillgoontothemaincompetition. Thewinnerofeachpreliminarygoesthroughtothefinal. MoreSynonymsofpreliminary COBUILDAdvancedEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Video:pronunciationof preliminary Youmayalsolike EnglishQuizConfusables Synonymsof'preliminary' LanguageLover'sBlog FrenchTranslationof'preliminary' Translateyourtext PronunciationPlaylists Wordoftheday:'Scotchmist' HindiTranslationof'preliminary' NEWfromCollins! EnglishGrammar CollinsApps WordFrequency preliminaryinBritishEnglish (prɪˈlɪmɪnərɪ ) adjective1. (usuallyprenominal) occurringbeforeorinpreparation;introductory nounWordforms:plural-naries2. apreliminaryeventoroccurrence 3. aneliminatingcontestheldbeforethemaincompetition CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Derivedformspreliminarily(preˈliminarily)adverb WordoriginC17:fromNewLatinpraelīmināris,fromLatinpraebefore+līmenthreshold WordFrequency preliminaryinAmericanEnglish (priˈlɪməˌnɛri ;prɪˈlɪməˌnɛri ) adjective1.  comingbeforeorleadinguptothemainaction,discussion,business,etc.;introductory;prefatory;preparatory nounWordforms:pluralpreˈlimiˌnaries2.  apreliminarystep,procedure,etc. 3. a.  apreliminaryexamination b.  acontestormatchbeforethemainone Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Derivedformspreliminarily(preˈlimiˌnarily) adverb Wordorigin