precursor

noun

pre·​cur·​sor pri-ˈkər-sər How to pronounce precursor (audio) ˈprē-ˌkər- How to pronounce precursor (audio)
1
a
: one that precedes and indicates the approach of another
2
: a substance, cell, or cellular component from which another substance, cell, or cellular component is formed
precursory
pri-ˈkərs-rē How to pronounce precursor (audio)
-ˈkər-sə-
adjective

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Precursor Has Latin Roots

With its prefix pre-, meaning "before", a precursor is literally a "forerunner", and in fact forerunner first appeared as the translation of the Latin praecursor. But the two words function a little differently today. A forerunner may simply come before another thing, but a precursor generally paves the way for something. So, for example, the Office of Strategic Services in World War II was the immediate precursor of today's Central Intelligence Agency, while the blues music of the 1930s and 1940s was only one of the precursors of the rock and roll of today.

Choose the Right Synonym for precursor

forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another.

forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season
the herald of a new age in medicine

Examples of precursor in a Sentence

18th-century lyric poets like Robert Burns were precursors of the Romantics a precursor of the modern eggplant
Recent Examples on the Web The Lumpkin property became a seminary immediately after the Civil War and was the precursor to Virginia Union University, a historically Black institution. Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Because insulin resistance is a precursor to both, researchers estimate the number of people with insulin resistance is much higher. Knvul Sheikh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024 The Commission is asking Apple and affected developers for their opinion, which is typically the precursor to a formal probe. David Meyer, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 The crash in prices for nickel and lithium, two key battery metals, could be a precursor to something more significant, a collapse in the price of iron ore which underpins the profits of some of the world’s biggest mining companies. Tim Treadgold, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Often a precursor to Tommy John surgery, the issue wasn’t quite that serious but still necessitated shutting him down for the remainder of the season. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 The National Old Trails highway was also built in 1910 and served as the precursor to Route 66. Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024 Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things The Zone of Interest Surprisingly, the Best Picture battle of the three-hour-plus movies was over relatively quickly, after winners for significant precursors were announced. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 13 Feb. 2024 In her hands, scripture becomes a precursor to the novel. Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'precursor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English precursoure, from Latin praecursor, from praecurrere to run before, from prae- pre- + currere to run — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of precursor was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near precursor

Cite this Entry

“Precursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precursor. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

precursor

noun
pre·​cur·​sor pri-ˈkər-sər How to pronounce precursor (audio) ˈprē-ˌkər- How to pronounce precursor (audio)
1
2
: a substance or cell from which another substance or cell is formed

Medical Definition

precursor

noun
pre·​cur·​sor pri-ˈkər-sər How to pronounce precursor (audio) ˈprē-ˌ How to pronounce precursor (audio)
1
: one that precedes and indicates the onset of another
angina may be the precursor of a second infarction
2
: a substance, cell, or cellular component from which another substance, cell, or cellular component is formed especially by natural processes

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