precursor
/ˈpɹiˌkɜɹ.səɹ/
UK: /ˈpɹiːˌkɜː.sə/
PɹIKꞫɹ · səɹ (2 syllables)
English
Noun Top 36,639
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Definition
That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English precursour, from Middle French precurseur or its etymon Latin praecursor (“forerunner”). By surface analysis, precurse + -or.
Example Sentences
- "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."
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