■ adjective preceding or done in preparation for something fuller or more important.
■ noun ( plural preliminaries )
1》 a ~ action or event.
2》 a ~ round in a sporting competition.
3》 ( preliminaries ) the prelims of a book.
Phrases
~ to preparatory to; in advance of.
Derivatives
preliminarily adverb
Origin
C17: from mod. L. praeliminaris or Fr. préliminaire , from L. prae 'before' + limen , limin- 'threshold'.