precursor
noun
ˈprē-ˌkər-
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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.
Examples of precursor in a Sentence
David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Directed by Arthur Penn, who brought a bold visual style, frank sexuality and graphic, balletic violence to a Hollywood dominated by optimistic pictures, this countercultural romance served as a precursor to the generational tension and mistrust in authority that was quietly pervading the country.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Tyrosine is also a precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, all of which partly contribute to the body’s fight-or-flight response.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
The study, a requirement under the federal National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, is a precursor to an eventual construction project on the corridor.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Cite this Entry
“Precursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precursor. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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precursor
noun
ˈprē-ˌkər-
Medical Definition
precursor
noun
ˈprē-ˌ
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