adj
Meaning 1
Preliminary.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
prelim
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /ˈpriːlɪm/
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UK: /prɪˈlɪm/
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US: /priˈlɪm/
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US: /ˈprilɪm/
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CMU ARPABET: P R IH0 L IH1 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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CMU ARPABET 2: P R IY0 L IH1 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
Something preliminary, such as a trial, report, race, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
Clipping of preliminary examination; a type of exam sat at the end of the first year of most undergraduate degrees.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal, plural-normally
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
The preliminary front matter of a book; all content preceding the main text or work itself.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
an examination taken by graduate students to determine their fitness to continue
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: preliminary examination, preliminary exam
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: examination, exam, test
noun
Meaning 6
a minor match preceding the main event
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: preliminary
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: athletic contest, athletic competition, athletics
History
Etymology
Clipping of preliminary. Sense 2 ("clipping of preliminary examination") was originally Oxford University slang, now in common use.