precursor
Americannoun
-
a person or thing that precedes, as in a job, a method, etc.; predecessor.
- Synonyms:
- forerunner
-
a person, animal, or thing that goes before and indicates the approach of someone or something else; harbinger.
The first robin is a precursor of spring.
- Synonyms:
- herald
-
Chemistry, Biochemistry. a chemical that is transformed into another compound, as in the course of a chemical reaction, and therefore precedes that compound in the synthetic pathway.
Cholesterol is a precursor of testosterone.
-
Biology. a cell or tissue that gives rise to a variant, specialized, or more mature form.
noun
-
a person or thing that precedes and shows or announces someone or something to come; harbinger
-
a predecessor or forerunner
-
a chemical substance that gives rise to another more important substance
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of precursor
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin praecursor forerunner. See pre-, cursor
Explanation
You've heard the old saying "Pride comes before the fall?" Well, you could just as easily say pride is a precursor to the fall. A precursor is something that happens before something else. You don't have to be a dead languages scholar to guess that this word springs from a Latin source — praecursor, "to run before." A precursor is usually related to what it precedes. It's a catalyst or a harbinger, leading to what follows or providing a clue that it's going to happen. Binging on holiday candy is a precursor to tummy aches and promises to exercise more. Draconian policies in unstable nations are often a precursor to rebellion.
Vocabulary lists containing precursor
Make a Run for It: Cur, Curs
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Pop Culture: February 16 - 22, 2019
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT words Beginning with "P"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Also see: Is the Comcast-NBCUniversal spinoff a precursor for M&A?
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
“If it’s a precursor to a more permanent presence, or a precursor to other malign activity, then it’s worrisome,” Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in an interview.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
A claim is typically a precursor to a lawsuit.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026
Even more striking, feeding the worms phosphatidylcholine or its precursor, choline, restored a more youthful mitochondrial structure within just two days.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
It feels like a kind of precursor to death.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
