Preliminaries
/ˌpriːˈlɪmɪnɛriːz/noun
Preliminary steps, events, or matters that come before the main part.
Did you know?It comes from Latin *praeliminaris*, built on *limen* meaning “threshold,” so the word originally points to what happens right at the doorway before entry.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
praeliminaris
“pertaining to what comes before a threshold or beginning”
Late Latin
Latin
prae- + limen
“before + threshold, doorway”
16th Century
English
preliminarie
“preparatory or introductory”
17th Century
English
preliminaries
“preparatory matters or steps before the main action”
Modern English
English
preliminaries
“the opening or preparatory parts of an event or process”