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.
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
Instead, with significant EU funding, it intends to appoint a European contractor for the mammoth project, currently in its preparatory phase.
From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026
The declaration will serve as a preparatory document for the G7 heads of state meeting to be held in Evian, eastern France, from 15 to 17 June.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
He played soccer and went to Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School, a Catholic preparatory school in Arlington.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
I made some tentative, preparatory shapes with my mouth prior to saying something, but Katz raced on before I could get a thought in order.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
