n. something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner"

adj. existing or coming before

adj. serving as an introduction or preface

adj. serving in or intended for exploration or discovery; "an exploratory operation"; "exploratory reconnaissance"; "digging an exploratory well in the Gulf of Mexico"; "exploratory talks between diplomats"

adj. 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"

adj. serving to open or begin; "began the slide show with some introductory remarks"

adj. earlier in time

adj. especially of writing or speech; going before

adj. serving as an introduction or preface

adj. preceding and preparing for something; "preparatory steps"

adj. just preceding something else in time or order; "the previous owner"; "my old house was larger"

adj. of or near the head end or toward the front plane of a body

adj. having existed from the beginning; in an earliest or original stage or state; "aboriginal forests"; "primal eras before the appearance of life on earth"; "the forest primeval"; "primordial matter"; "primordial forms of life"

adj. having existed from the beginning; in an earliest or original stage or state; "aboriginal forests"; "primal eras before the appearance of life on earth"; "the forest primeval"; "primordial matter"; "primordial forms of life"

adj. 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"

adj. first or beginning; "the memorable opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth"; "the play's opening scene"

adj. occurring at the beginning; "took the initial step toward reconciliation"

adj. of a person who has held and relinquished a position or office; "a retiring member of the board"

adj. serving or intended to explain or make clear; "explanatory notes"; "an explanatory paragraph"

adj. serving or intended to explain or make clear; "explanatory notes"; "an explanatory paragraph"

adj. made in or typical of earlier times and valued for its age; "the beautiful antique French furniture"

adj. earlier than the present time; no longer current; "time past"; "his youth is past"; "this past Thursday"; "the past year"

adj. (used especially of persons) of the immediate past; "the former president"; "our late President is still very active"; "the previous occupant of the White House"

adj. of the first stage of education and schools: "elementary school"; "an elementary grammar"

adj. appearing earlier in the same text; "flaws in the above interpretation"

adj. mentioned or named earlier in the same text

adj. especially of writing or speech; going before

adj. preceding and preparing for something; "preparatory steps"

adj. just preceding something else in time or order; "the previous owner"; "my old house was larger"

adj. exploring thoroughly

adj. appropriate to the beginning or start of an event; "the starting point"; "hands in the starting position"

adj. coming after or following

adj. immediately following in time or order; "the following day"; "next in line"; "the next president"; "the next item on the list"