precursor (n.)

  1. a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction)

  2. a person who goes before or announces the coming of another

    [ Syn: forerunner ]

  3. something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone

    [ Syn: harbinger , forerunner , predecessor , herald ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
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