precursory

Also pre·cur·sive

[pri-kur-suh-ree]

adjective

1. of the nature of a precursor; preliminary; introductory.

   precursory remarks.

2. indicative of something to follow.

   precursory indications of disease.

precursory

/ prɪˈkɜːsərɪ /

adjective

1. serving as a precursor

2. preliminary or introductory

Word History and Origins

Origin of precursory¹

From the Latin word praecursōrius, dating back to 1590–1600. See precursor, cursory

Example Sentences

Any precursory comparisons to “Hamilton” are understandable, given that both stage musicals focus on an outspoken writer, a pivotal president and a years-long war that determined the country’s future.

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"There are some cases where there are dramatic and very distinctive precursory seismic signals that precede a catastrophic landslide, sometimes by as much as days," Highman noted.

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“It doesn’t give you a precursory, predictive ability because it’s a statement of how you’ve summed it rather than what’s going on at a particular earthquake,” she adds.

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These observations suggest perhaps there really are precursory signals for at least some huge quakes.

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But researchers said there are few large-scale earthquakes to study in California and that makes it difficult to indicate whether precursory signals at one fault would apply to others.

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Related Words

• introductory 
• previous 
• prior