Word
forerunner
Phoneticsfore·run·ner, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɔˌɹənɝ/
UK/fˈɔːɹʌnɐ/
Definition
n. someone or something that comes before a new thing and shows what it will be like. In sports, it is a team or player that wins a match before the final game.
n. a person or thing that precedes and indicates the coming of another. In a sporting context, it refers to a team or individual that wins a preliminary match to qualify for a later stage.
Examples
“The team was the forerunner to the eventual champions.”
“The semi-final match served as a forerunner to the final, giving the crowd a taste of the high-stakes action to come.”
“While the early rounds are often dismissed as mere warm-ups, they serve as a vital forerunner to the championship, establishing the psychological and physical demands of the season.”
Examples
simple
“The team was the forerunner to the eventual champions.”
contextual
“The semi-final match served as a forerunner to the final, giving the crowd a taste of the high-stakes action to come.”
complex
“While the early rounds are often dismissed as mere warm-ups, they serve as a vital forerunner to the championship, establishing the psychological and physical demands of the season.”
Real-World Examples
“He also helped set up Scottish Aids Monitor, an HIV and Aids awareness charity, and Milestone Venture Trust, the forerunner to the charity Waverley Care .” “Disc jockeys: Teens who wanted to listen to something different from their parents anointed radio D.J.s such as rock ’n’ roll hype man Dick Clark and rap forerunner Jocko Henderson as their tastemakers.” Etymology
From Middle English forrenner, foreriner. Calque of Latin praecursor (“one who runs before, a forerunner”). Equivalent to fore- + runner and/or forerun + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/forerunner