preparatory
Adjective: 1. Serving to prepare or make ready for something that will follow; introductory or preliminary in nature. - This describes something that is done as a preparation for a main action, event, or course of study. It implies a foundational or initial stage.
The word "preparatory" is used to describe actions, steps, materials, or institutions that are designed to prepare someone or something for a subsequent, more significant, or more advanced stage. It is often followed by the preposition "to" when indicating what it is preparing for.
- Adjective:
- The students took a preparatory course in mathematics before starting the advanced program.
- She made some preparatory sketches before beginning the final painting.
- The committee held several preparatory meetings to set the agenda for the main conference.
- "preparatory to (doing something)": In the process of preparing for a specific action; immediately before.
- He packed his bags preparatory to leaving on his trip.
- The team reviewed the data preparatory to writing the final report.
- Prepare (verb): To make ready or suitable in advance.
- Preparation (noun): The action or process of making ready or being made ready.
- Preparatorily (adverb): In a preparatory manner. (Note: This form is rare.)
- Preliminary: Denoting an action or event preceding or done in preparation for something fuller or more important.
- Introductory: Serving as an introduction to a subject or topic; basic.
- Prefatory: Serving as an introduction; introductory.
- Final: Coming at the end; last in a series.
- Conclusive: Serving to prove a case; decisive or convincing.
"Preparatory" is a formal adjective. In everyday conversation, words like "preliminary" or "introductory" might be more common. It is frequently used in academic and professional contexts to describe foundational work or initial phases.
- preceding and preparing for something
- preparatory steps