precursory
- adjective
- /prɪˈkɜrsəri/
- The heavy rain last night was a precursory sign of the flooding that followed.
Examples
-
After a few precursory snuffles, it chewed up the pencils with relish, then nibbled the pen.
Fiction book (1994) -
There are so many subtle connections you can make between this short story and many of King's future novels it's ridiculous: the Night Surf roots, the manipulative twist akin to what's found in Misery, and the obvious early precursory tip of the cap at The Stand.
Blog text (3) -
Example: Precursory sexual behavior.
Academic text (1999) -
As an apprentice in the field, you have already studied for several years to master the precursory music coursework, but you must now balance your college-level knowledge and materials with the level of your students.
Academic text (2004) -
Of course, just as talk about sex conveys information about sexual relationships, so too may these precursory behaviors that typically precede the act of intercourse in an evolving sexual relationship.
Academic text (1999) -
Most sexual behaviors tend to be precursory in nature (such as physical flirting and kissing), although intercourse is depicted or strongly implied in roughly one of every eight shows on television.
Academic text (1999) -
Seismic activity can often be a precursory indication of an impending earthquake.
-
Several precursory symptoms hinted that she would soon catch a cold.
Synonyms
Makes you feel that something bad will happen
A strong sign that something important or bad will happen
A sign that warns of something bad that may happen
Suggests or shows what will happen later in a vague, symbolic way
Antonyms
How Indicative
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word precursory comes from Latin parts pre- 'before' and currere 'to run', so it meant 'running ahead'. Like current or course, which come from the same idea of movement, a precursory sign is something that appears before and warns you about what will happen.