preparatory
Americanadjective
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serving to prepare
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introductory or preliminary
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occupied in preparation
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as a preparation to; before
a drink preparatory to eating
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preparatory
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word praeparātōrius. See prepare, -tory 1
Explanation
Use the adjective preparatory when you're getting ready for something. If you spend the day cleaning your house before a big party, the work you're doing is preparatory. You can call something preparatory when it helps you prepare. A summer school class that lays the groundwork for a calculus course in the fall is preparatory, and so are a coach's words of advice before the start of a football game. High schools that specifically ready students for college work are sometimes called "preparatory schools," or "prep schools" for short. The Latin root is praeparationem, "a making ready."
Vocabulary lists containing preparatory
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: pre-
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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.
Though the memorandum was never signed, Soilbuild alleged that both sides proceeded to conduct preparatory work for the Mapletree deal on the basis of terms laid out in the draft memorandum, the lawsuit said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Conceived as designs for tapestries, they are also, like so many of Matisse’s preparatory studies, self-sufficient artworks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
There had been unrest at the location during an initial protest in late May against preparatory onsite work during installation of barbed wire to cordon off the area.
From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026
Ramaphosa has said he will not seek to prevent the committee from operating while it carries out preparatory work but will do so if it gets under way while legal proceedings are in place.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
Develop a preparatory phrase that you feel comfortable with which gives children the pulse and pitch of a song.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
