noun

1. the act or process of preparing
2. the condition of being prepared; readiness
3. something done to prepare; preparatory measure
4. something prepared for a special purpose, as a medicine, cosmetic, condiment, etc.
5. Music
   1. the preparing for a dissonant chord by using the dissonant tone as a consonant tone in the immediately preceding chord
   2. a tone so used

Etymology: ME preparacion < MFr preparation < L praeparatio