precursor Definition
- 1a person or thing that comes before another of the same kind and indicates that it will follow or is likely to do so
- 2a substance from which another, usually more active or mature, substance is formed
Using precursor: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "precursor" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The steam engine was a precursor to the modern locomotive.
Example
The company's success in the domestic market was a precursor to its expansion overseas.
Example
The discovery of gold was a precursor to the town's growth.
Example
The early signs of the disease are often precursors to more serious symptoms.
precursor Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for precursor
Antonyms for precursor
Idioms Using precursor
Example
The invention of the printing press was a precursor to the Information Age.
to be an early indication or sign of something that will happen in the future
Example
The stock market crash of 1929 was a precursor of the Great Depression.
Example
The development of the Internet set the stage for the digital revolution.
Phrases with precursor
Example
Stem cells are precursor cells that can differentiate into many different types of cells.
Example
Cholesterol is a precursor molecule for the synthesis of steroid hormones.
a protein that is converted into another protein through post-translational modification
Example
Insulin is synthesized as a precursor protein called proinsulin.
Origins of precursor
from Latin 'praecursor', meaning 'forerunner'
Summary: precursor in Brief
'Precursor' [priːˈkɜːsə(r)] refers to a person or thing that comes before another of the same kind and indicates that it will follow or is likely to do so. It also refers to a substance from which another, usually more active or mature, substance is formed. Examples include the steam engine as a precursor to the modern locomotive and the early signs of a disease as precursors to more serious symptoms. The idiom 'set the stage for something' is often used to describe the precursor to a significant event.