preclinical

American  

[pree-klin-i-kuhl] / priˈklɪn ɪ kəl /

adjective

Medicine/Medical.

1. of or relating to the period prior to the appearance of the symptoms.

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preclinical British  

/ priːˈklɪnɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or occurring during the early phases of a disease before accurate diagnosis is possible

2. of, relating to, or designating an early period of scientific study by a medical student before practical experience with patients

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Other Word Forms

• preclinically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of preclinical

First recorded in 1930–35; pre- + clinical

Example Sentences

One example is using computer models rather than pipette-wielding humans in preclinical screens of molecules.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Researchers hope to determine whether the benefits observed in preclinical studies can be replicated in people living with type 2 diabetes or obesity.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

The companies have preclinical programs to link other Alzheimer’s drugs with the blood-brain barrier platform that BioArctic calls BrainTransporter.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

In preclinical studies, the enhanced immune cells successfully killed human cancer cells from several aggressive cancers, including leukemia, glioblastoma, kidney cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.

From Science Daily • May 25, 2026

Several potential Bundibugyo vaccines are in development, but they haven’t been tested in humans and preclinical data are limited, according to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which funds vaccine development.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026