prelims

British  

/ prəˈlɪmz, ˈpriːlɪmz /

plural noun

1. Also called: front matter.  the pages of a book, such as the title page and contents, before the main text

2. the first public examinations taken for the bachelor's degree in some universities

3. (in Scotland) the school examinations taken as practice before public examinations

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Etymology

Origin of prelims

C19: a contraction of _{preliminaries}