THESAURUS
forerunner
Gabriel, Mahdi, advertisement, advertiser, ancestor, announcement, announcer, antecedent, augury, author, avant-garde, bell cow, bell mare, bellwether, born leader, buccinator, buccinator novi temporis, bushwhacker, charismatic leader, choirmaster, choragus, coach, conductor, coryphaeus, duce, envoy, evangel, evangelist, example, exemplar, explorer, file leader, forebear, forefather, foregoer, foreshadow, foreshadower, foretoken, forewarning, front runner, frontiersman, fugleman, groundbreaker, guide, harbinger, herald, herald angel, initiator, innovator, inspired leader, instructor, lead runner, leader, leader of men, mark, mentor, messenger, messiah, model, omen, originator, outrider, pacemaker, pacesetter, pathfinder, pattern, pioneer, point, portent, precedent, precentor, precursor, predecessor, premise, premonition, premonitor, preparationist, preparator, preparer, presage, presager, progenitor, prognostic, prototype, ringleader, scout, sign, standard-bearer, stormy petrel, symphonic conductor, symptom, teacher, token, torchbearer, trailblazer, trailbreaker, trainer, vanguard, vaunt-courier, voortrekker, warning
ROGET THESAURUS
forerunner
Precursor
N
precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor,
forerunner, vancourier, avant-coureur, pioneer, prodrome, prodromos, prodromus, outrider, leader, bellwether, herald, harbinger, foreboding, dawn, avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare, forelooper, foreloper, stalking-horse, voorlooper, voortrekker, prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction, heading, frontispiece, groundwork, preparation, overture, exordium, symphony, premises, prefigurement, omen, precursory, prelusive, prelusory, preludious, proemial, introductory, prefatory, prodromous, inaugural, preliminary, precedent, a precedent embalms a principle.