Actions or events that come before the main event, or preparations that happen before something important.
From Latin 'prae-' (before) + 'limen' (threshold). Literally, it means 'before the threshold'—things that happen before you cross the threshold into the main event.
The word 'preliminary' survives from ancient Roman language about thresholds, which is why it still means 'before the important part'—the Romans literally thought of thresholds as the dividing line between preparation and action!
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