precursor
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
pre·cur·sor
(prĭ-kûr′sər, prē′kûr′sər)n.
1. One that precedes and indicates, suggests, or announces someone or something to come: Colonial opposition to unfair taxation by the British was a precursor of the Revolution.
2. One that precedes another; a forerunner or predecessor: The new principal's precursor was an eminent educator.
3. A biochemical substance, such as an intermediate compound in a chain of enzymatic reactions, from which a more stable or definitive product is formed: a precursor of insulin.
[Middle English precursoure, from Old French precurseur, from Latin praecursor, from praecursus, past participle of praecurrere, to run before : prae-, pre- + currere, to run; see kers- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
precursor
(prɪˈkɜːsə)n
1. a person or thing that precedes and shows or announces someone or something to come; harbinger
2. a predecessor or forerunner
3. (Chemistry) a chemical substance that gives rise to another more important substance
[C16: from Latin praecursor one who runs in front, from praecurrere, from prae in front + currere to run]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pre•cur•sor
(prɪˈkɜr sər, ˈpri kɜr-)n.
1. a person or thing that precedes, as in a job or a method; predecessor.
2. a person, animal, or thing regarded as a harbinger: The first robin is a precursor of spring.
3. 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.
4. a cell or tissue that gives rise to a variant, specialized, or more mature form.
[1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin]
pre•cur′so•ry, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
precursor
Any chemical reactant which takes place at any stage in the production by whatever method of a toxic chemical. This includes any key component of a binary or multicomponent chemical system. See also toxic chemical.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | precursor - a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction) biochemistry - the organic chemistry of compounds and processes occurring in organisms; the effort to understand biology within the context of chemistry |
2. | precursor - a person who goes before or announces the coming of another individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" predecessor - one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office) | |
3. | precursor - something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone indicant, indication - something that serves to indicate or suggest; "an indication of foul play"; "indications of strain"; "symptoms are the prime indicants of disease" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
precursor
noun
1. forerunner, pioneer, predecessor, forebear, antecedent, originator Real tennis, a precursor of the modern game, originated in the eleventh century.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
precursor
noun1. One that indicates or announces someone or something to come:
2. One that precedes, as in time:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
PräkursorVorläufer
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
precursor
[priːˈkɜːrsər] n (= person) → précurseur m (= thing) → précurseur m (= event) → précurseur m
a precursor of sth → un précurseur de qch
a precursor to sth → un précurseur de qch
a precursor of sth → un précurseur de qch
a precursor to sth → un précurseur de qch
(CHEMISTRY) (also precursor chemical) → précurseur m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
precursor
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
pre·cur·sor
n. precursor-a, predecesor-a, manifestación tal como la aparición de un síntoma o señal antes de desarrollarse una enfermedad;
a. precursor-a, predecesor-a; preliminar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
precursor
n precursor mEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.