precursor
[ pri-kur-ser, pree-kur- ]
/ prɪˈkɜr sər, ˈpri kɜr- /
noun
a person or thing that precedes, as in a job, a method, etc.; predecessor.
a person, animal, or thing that goes before and indicates the approach of someone or something else; harbinger: The first robin is a precursor of spring.
Chemistry, Biochemistry.
a chemical that is transformed into another compound, as in the course of a chemical reaction, and therefore precedes that compound in the synthetic pathway: Cholesterol is a precursor of testosterone.
Biology.
a cell or tissue that gives rise to a variant, specialized, or more mature form.
Words nearby precursor
precordium,
precostal anastomosis,
precrime,
precritical,
precuneus,
precursor,
precursory,
precursory cartilage,
precut,
precycle,
pred.
Example sentences from the Web for precursor
British Dictionary definitions for precursor
precursor
/ (prɪˈkɜːsə) /
noun
a person or thing that precedes and shows or announces someone or something to come; harbinger
a predecessor or forerunner
a chemical substance that gives rise to another more important substance
Word Origin for precursor
C16: from Latin
praecursor one who runs in front, from
praecurrere, from
prae in front +
currere to run
Medical definitions for precursor
precursor
[ prĭ-kûr′sər, prē′kûr′sər ]
n.
One that precedes and indicates something to come.
One that precedes another; a forerunner or predecessor.
A biochemical substance, such as an intermediate compound in a chain of enzymatic reactions, that gives rise to a more stable or definitive product.