forerunner

Everyday

1. A forerunner is a person or thing that came before another and led the way for it: «The abacus was a forerunner of the calculator». tree →
2. A forerunner can be a sign that something is about to happen. tree →

In the lessons

In history and technology lessons, forerunners show how inventions grew: Babbage's engines were forerunners of computers; the penny-farthing was a forerunner of the modern bicycle. In the Bible and church, John the Baptist is called the forerunner of Jesus. Phrases: «a forerunner of», «the forerunner to».

Examples

• The abacus was a forerunner of the calculator. tree →
• The gramophone was a forerunner of today's music players. tree →
• Christians call John the Baptist the forerunner of Jesus. tree →
• Dark clouds are often the forerunner of a storm. tree →
• This early plane was a forerunner of the jumbo jet. tree →
• The Romans' roads were forerunners of modern motorways. tree →

Note

Similar: predecessor, ancestor, pioneer. Plural: forerunners.