Precursor: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Precursor noun. Something that comes before a later, more developed thing and leads to it.
How to say it
prih-KUR-suh/prɪˈkəːsə/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (KUR).
Precursor in a sentence
The abacus was a distant precursor of the calculator.
Distant thunder is often the precursor of a downpour.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- forerunner
- predecessor
- harbinger
- antecedent
Opposite:
- successor
Where precursor comes from
From Latin praecursor, from praecurrere, to run ahead.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Distant thunder is often the _____ of a downpour.
- gloaming
- gerontocracy
- precursor
Show the answer
precursor: Distant thunder is often the precursor of a downpour.