precursory
Americanadjective
-
of the nature of a precursor; preliminary; introductory.
precursory remarks.
-
indicative of something to follow.
precursory indications of disease.
adjective
-
serving as a precursor
-
preliminary or introductory
Etymology
Origin of precursory
From the Latin word praecursōrius, dating back to 1590–1600. See precursor, cursory
Explanation
Anything that's precursory comes before something else, often in an ominous or inauspicious way, like a precursory rumble that proceeds the eruption of a volcano. While some synonyms of precursory include preliminary and introductory, it's most common to use this adjective with a certain threatening sense of warning. So you might describe the precursory growl of a tiger just before it attacks, or the precursory stillness in advance of a tornado's descent. Precursory comes from Latin roots, prae, or "before," and currere, "to run."
Vocabulary lists containing precursory
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 50-year-old Hall of Fame jockey won the eighth race by a neck aboard Precursory, who paid $14 to win.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2022
Precursory notes on American insectivorous mammals, with descriptions of new species.
From Noteworthy Mammals from Sinaloa, Mexico by Jones, J. Knox
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
