[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/preliminary/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [P](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/p/) / preliminary

# preliminary

adjective (preliminary); noun (a preliminary, preliminaries)

«preliminary» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Preliminary means coming before the main part and getting ready for it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#m1)
2. A preliminary is a first step or early round, such as a heat in a competition. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#m2)
3. (formal) Preliminaries are things done before the main business, such as greetings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science a preliminary test is a small first trial before the real experiment. In sport preliminary rounds decide who goes to the final. In formal exam voice: «preliminary results», «preliminary findings». Phrases: «preliminary round», «preliminary results», «without preliminaries».

### Examples

- We did a preliminary test before the real experiment. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x1)
- Our team won the preliminary round. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x2)
- The preliminary results look good. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x3)
- After the preliminaries, the meeting began. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x4)
- A preliminary drawing helps you plan a picture. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x5)
- (formal) Preliminary findings indicate an increase in rainfall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x6)
- He skipped the preliminaries and got straight to the point. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x7)
- The preliminary heats are in the morning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x8)
- Some stories start off without any preliminary formula, or with a simple "Well, there was once a ----". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/#x9)

### Note

Spelling: pre-lim-in-ar-y (5 syllables). Plural noun: preliminaries. Preliminary results may change; they are not final.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «preliminary» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preliminary/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«preliminary» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/preliminary.html) on Mova free.