preliminary

Etymology

From the French préliminaire or from Modern Latin praelīmināris, formed from prae- (“before”) + līmen (“threshold”) + -āris (adjectival suffix); compare Latin līmināris (“of or belonging to a threshold”).

adj

1. In preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory.
   These are just the preliminary results.

noun

1. A preparation for a main matter; an introduction.
   In the Chinese novels, often of a very literary character, devoted to masculine love, it seems that all the preliminaries and transports of normal love are to be found, while physical union may terminate the scene. 1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2 (of 6)
2. Any of a series of sports events that determine the finalists
3. A relatively minor contest that precedes a major one, especially in boxing