• (America) enPR: prĭlĭmʹĭnĕri, IPA: /pɹɪˈlɪmɪnɛɹi/
• (RP) enPR: prĭlĭmʹĭnəri, IPA: /pɹɪˈlɪmɪnəɹi/

preliminary (not comparable)

1. In preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory.

   Synonyms: initial, introductory, preparatory

   Antonyms: definitive, final

   These are just the preliminary results.

   • 1945 August 17, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter 1, in Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, London: Secker & Warburg, OCLC 3655473 ↗:

     And then, after a few preliminary tries, the whole farm burst out into 'Beasts of England' in tremendous unison.

• French: préliminaire
• German: vorläufig, vorbereitend
• Italian: preliminare
• Portuguese: preliminar
• Russian: предвари́тельный
• Spanish: preliminar

preliminary (plural preliminaries)

1. A preparation for a main matter; an introduction
2. Any of a series of sports events that determine the finalists
3. A relatively minor contest that precedes a major one, especially in boxing