[noun] [C] [slightly formal] - something which happened or existed before another thing, esp. if it either developed into it or had an influence on itGerman World War Two rocket weapons were the precursors of modern space rockets.Pure research has often been a precursor to applications which give economic benefits.
PRECURSOR
Meaning of PRECURSOR in English
Cambridge English vocab. Кембриджский английский словарь. 2012