THESAURUS
prefatory
antecedent, anterior, chief, exordial, first, foremost, headmost, inaugural, inductive, initiatory, introductory, leading, opening, precedent, preceding, precessional, precursory, prefixed, prelim, preliminary, preludial, prelusive, preparatory, prepositive, prevenient, prior, proemial, propaedeutic
ROGET THESAURUS
prefatory
Precedence
N
precedence, coming before, the lead, le pas, superiority, importance, antecedence, antecedency, anteriority, precursor, priority, precession, anteposition, epacme, preference, preceding, precedent, antecedent, anterior, prior, before, former, foregoing, beforementioned, abovementioned, aforementioned, aforesaid, said, precursory, precursive, prevenient, preliminary,
prefatory, introductory, prelusive, prelusory, proemial, preparatory, before, in advance, seniores priores, prior tempore prior jure.
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.