名詞 preliminary:

1. a minor match preceding the main event
   同義詞：prelim
2. something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows
   同義詞：overture, prelude

形容詞 preliminary:

1. designed to orient or acquaint with a situation before proceeding

1. A preliminary draft or plan, as of a project or proposal.
   草案初步的草案或計劃，如工程或建議的草案
2. There are a lot of preliminaries to be gone through before you can visit a foreign country.
   在出訪外國之前要做好許多準備工作。
3. May I make a few preliminary remarks before we start the interview?
   在我們開始面試之前，我先說幾句話可以嗎？
4. Our team got beaten in the preliminary rounds of the competition.
   我們隊在這次比賽的預賽中遭淘汰。

pre.lim.i.nar.y

adj.（形容詞）
Prior to or preparing for the main matter, action, or business; introductory or prefatory.
開頭的，初步的：先于主要事件、行動或業(yè)務的或為其作準備的；預備性的或前面的
n.（名詞）
【復數(shù)】 pre.lim.i.nar.ies
Something that precedes, prepares for, or introduces the main matter, action, or business.
開端，初步：先于、準備或介紹主要事件、行動或業(yè)務的事
An academic test or examination that is preparatory to one that is longer, more complex, or more important.
初試：為更長、更復雜或更重要的考試而進行的預備性學術測試或考試
Sports A contest to determine the finalists in a competition.
【體育運動】 初賽：一項競賽中決出決賽者的競賽
Sports An event that precedes the main event of a particular program, especially in boxing or wrestling.
【體育運動】 預賽：先于特定程序中主要比賽項目的競賽，尤指在拳擊或摔跤中
Often preliminaries Printing The front matter of a book.
常作 preliminaries 【印刷術】 前言：書的開頭內容

來源：
From New Latin praelomin3ris
源自 現(xiàn)代拉丁語 praelomin3ris
Latin prae- [pre-]
拉丁語 prae- [前綴，表.先于.]
Latin lomen lomin- [threshold]
拉丁語 lomen lomin- [入口，開端]

【引伸】
prelim.inar.ily
<參考詞匯><同義詞>preliminary,introductory,prefatory,preparatoryThe central meaning shared by these adjectives is .going before and preparing the way for something else.:
這些形容詞共有的中心意思是.在其它事物之前并為其鋪路的.：
例句：
a preliminary investigation;
事先調查；

例句：
introductory remarks;
序言；

例句：
an author`s prefatory notes;
作者的序言注解；

例句：
preparatory steps.
預備步驟