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precursor Definition

pre·cur·sor (prē kʉrsər, pri-; prēkʉr′-)

noun

  1. a person or thing that goes before; forerunner; harbinger
  2. a predecessor, as in office
  3. a substance that precedes and is the source of another substance

Etymology: L praecursor < praecurrere, to run ahead: see pre- & current

precursor Synonyms

precursor

n.

  1. A messenger

    forerunner, herald, vanguard; see forerunner, messenger.

  2. A predecessor

    ancestor, forebear, antecedent, parent; see ancestor, forerunner.

precursor Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • dopamine: Levodopa, the metabolic precursor of dopamine, relieves the symptoms of Parkinson's disease presumably by being converted to dopamine in the brain.
  • vitamin: Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, is required... into a precursor of vitamin D.

Preposition: for

  • synthesis: Discuss the importance of metabolic pathways in cells for the maintenance of levels of ATP and the provision of precursors for macromolecule synthesis.

Adjective modifier

  • biosynthetic: Its biosynthetic precursor, demecolcine, is an alkaloid.
  • inactive: For those enzymes in which an inactive precursor is converted to the active form(s ), it is recommended that: 15.
  • metabolic: Levodopa, the metabolic precursor of dopamine, relieves the symptoms of Parkinson's disease presumably by being converted to dopamine in the brain.
  • immediate: St. John the Baptist is the Lord's immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way.
  • necessary: It, however, is the necessary precursor for the two week dose of shock therapy that follows.
  • essential: A Data Architecture is thus an essential precursor to making maximum use of this invaluable resource.

Modifies a noun

  • lesion: Their relation to squamous cell carcinoma is still subject to debate but most view them as precursor lesions.
  • protein: Thyroglobulin - The precursor protein of the thyroid hormones.
  • chemical: In addition to their civilian uses, chlorine and phenol are used for precursor chemicals which contribute to the production of chemical agents.
  • cell: However the ray precursor cells which are formed divide normally to form fully differentiated rays.
  • molecule: All CVD techniques for producing diamond films require a means of activating gas-phase carbon-containing precursor molecules.

Noun used with modifier

  • oligodendrocyte: A particular interest is the population of cells called oligodendrocyte precursors.
  • amine: They develop from ' apud ' ( amine precursor, uptake and decarboxylation ) cells.
  • ozone: This will require action on ozone precursor emissions at a global scale.
  • hormone: Depressed people interested in considering this hormone precursor should consult a doctor.
  • chemical: Last month, Taiwan intercepted a North Korean vessel carrying what the United States has called a chemical weapons precursor.
  • protein: Production of transgenic soybean lines expressing the bean pod mottle virus coat protein precursor gene.