early-warning system

[ ur-lee wawr-ning ]

noun

1. Military. a network of radar installations designed to detect enemy aircraft or missiles in time for the effective deployment of defense systems.
2. any series of steps established to spot potential problems.

early warning system

noun

1. a network of radar and communications units intended to detect at the earliest possible moment an attack by enemy aircraft or missiles
2. anything that gives advance notice of something

Word History and Origins

Origin of early-warning system¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Early voting is the early-warning system as the hurricane is coming,” he says, “and this year it looks like a category 5.

From The Daily Beast