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preparatory

preparatory

15 4.7
To help get ready for something
  • adjective
  • /prɪˈpɛrəˌtɔri/
translation icon : preparatorio
  • The chef performed preparatory steps by chopping vegetables and measuring ingredients before cooking.
  • college preparatory
  • preparatory school
  • preparatory course

So, Simon, welcome back to the podcast after that rambling preparatory monologue.

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Examples

  • The suggested preparatory patterns work well, but the instructor may choose his or her own.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Eventually, students will use inner hearing as a preparatory step for sight reading.

    Academic text (1994)
  • But what we're talking about here is faith as something less than or only preparatory to knowledge.

  • So you can just see the way the preparatory stage happens before the big name.

  • The present chapter contains preparatory material on vector spaces.

  • Sherwood is a private preparatory school with a very high rating.

  • And Dalton is one of the most exclusive preparatory schools in the world.

  • In this process, the pursuit of knowledge is seen as preparatory, something for beginners.

    Academic text (2011)
  • All participants sang the preparatory pattern correctly on all four items of the preparatory singing condition.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Armbrister is currently president of Philadelphia's Girard College, an independent college preparatory school for students from economically disadvantaged families.

    Academic text (2017)

Synonyms

preliminary
vspreparatory
10 5.2

An event that happens before a main event to prepare for it

is more about helping people get ready than simply occurring earlier
preparative
vspreparatory
6.8

Done earlier to get something ready

is a broader term that covers many ways of getting ready
propaedeutic
vspreparatory
  • Formal
9.9

Acting as an introduction that prepares students for later study in a subject

is less academic and applies outside formal study
preservice
vspreparatory
  • Specialized
6.1

Relating to training people do before they start a job

is more general and not limited to job training
preprofessional
vspreparatory
6.3

Relating to studies or activities that prepare someone for a job

is used for getting ready in any context not only careers
prevocational
vspreparatory
6.9

Courses that prepare people for work or job training

is broader and applies beyond work related training
precourse
vspreparatory
7.2

Used before the main course or program to help people prepare

is broader and applies to many types of getting ready
pre-teaching
vspreparatory
4.2

Happening before a lesson to prepare students

is general and covers getting ready beyond classroom instruction
prepractice
vspreparatory
5.0

A short session before practice that helps people get ready

is general and applies to many kinds of prior getting ready
preexperiment
vspreparatory
  • Specialized
7.2

Happening before an experiment to get ready

is more general and not limited to scientific testing
pretravel
vspreparatory
4.4

Happening before a trip to help you prepare

covers many kinds of getting ready beyond journeys
previsit
vspreparatory
6.1

Happening before a planned appointment to help people get ready

is general and not tied to appointments or site checks
pre-interview
vspreparatory
3.7

Happening before an interview to give information or check if someone is suitable

is a broad term not limited to that meeting type
preambulatory
vspreparatory
  • Formal
9.9

That introduces the purpose and background at the start of a document or speech

focuses on document introductions rather than general getting ready
preactive
vspreparatory
7.7

Acting before a problem or event happens to avoid it

emphasizes planning before events rather than the general purpose of getting ready

Compounds

A private school that helps students get ready for university or college

How Preparatory

preparatory
15 4.7
preliminary
325 5.2
introductory
35 3.9

Surface Forms

preparatory positive

Morphology

preparatory = prepare (transparent) = prepare + atory

The adjective is directly derived from 'prepare' with an adjectival suffix meaning 'serving as preparation', so learners who know 'prepare' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Preparatory starts with pre- meaning 'before' and comes from the same root as prepare, which means 'make ready'. So a preparatory class or task is done 'before' the main event to get you ready.