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Webster 1913 Edition


Precursor

Pre-cur′sor

,
Noun.
[L.
praecursor
, fr.
praecurrere
to run before;
prae
before +
currere
to run. See
Course
.]
One who, or that which, precedes an event, and indicates its approach; a forerunner; a harbinger.
Evil thoughts are the invisible, airy
precursors
of all the storms and tempests of the soul.
Buckminster.
Syn. – Predecessor; forerunner; harbinger; messenger; omen; sign.

Webster 1828 Edition


Precursor

PRECURS'OR

,
Noun.
[L. proecursor, supra.] A forerunner; a harbinger; he or that which precedes an event and indicates its approach; as Jove's lightnings, the precursors of thunder.
A cloud in the southwest, in winter, is often the precursor of a snow storm. A hazy atmosphere in the west, at sunset, is often the precursor of a cloudy or of a rainy day.
Evil thoughts are the invisible, airy precursors of all the storms and tempests of the soul.

Definition 2024


precursor

precursor

English

Alternative forms

Noun

precursor (plural precursors)

  1. That which precurses, a forerunner, a predecessor, an indicator of approaching events.
    • 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, In the News”, in American Scientist:
      Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: [] . The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light. The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the water-oxidizing complex, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom.
  2. (chemistry) One of the compounds that participates in the chemical reaction that produces another compound.

Translations

Anagrams


Catalan

Noun

precursor m (plural precursors)

  1. precursor

Dutch

Noun

precursor m (plural precursors, diminutive precursortje n)

  1. precursor

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /preˈkɵrsɔr/

Portuguese

Noun

precursor m (plural precursores, feminine precursora, feminine plural precursoras)

  1. precursor; forerunner (something that led to the development of another)

Adjective

precursor m (feminine singular precursora, masculine plural precursores, feminine plural precursoras, comparable)

  1. precursory (pertaining to events that will follow)

Spanish

Adjective

precursor m (feminine singular precursora, masculine plural precursores, feminine plural precursoras)

  1. precursory, preceding

Noun

precursor m (plural precursores, feminine precursora)

  1. precursor