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Synonyms

preparatory

American  
[pri-par-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -pair-, prep-er-uh-] / prɪˈpær əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, -ˈpɛər-, ˈprɛp ər ə- /

adjective

  1. serving or designed to prepare.

    preparatory arrangements.

  2. preliminary; introductory.

    preparatory remarks.

  3. of or relating to training that prepares for more advanced education.

idioms

  1. preparatory to, in advance of; before.

    The astronauts met with the press preparatory to lifting off.
preparatory British  
/ -trɪ, prɪˈpærətərɪ /

adjective

  1. serving to prepare

  2. introductory or preliminary

  3. occupied in preparation

  4. as a preparation to; before

    a drink preparatory to eating
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

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

The initial discussions will be preparatory, setting guidelines for more formal cease-fire talks, these officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

By placing them side by side with his preparatory drawings, visitors can better understand Raphael's creative process.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Nkanu Adichie-Esege, one of twins, died on 7 January after complications arose during preparatory medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Develop a preparatory phrase that you feel comfortable with which gives children the pulse and pitch of a song.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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.