precursor ˌpriˈkʌrsər noun
1. something indicating the approach of something or someone
2. a person who goes before or announces the coming of another
3. a substance from which another substance is formed
The word precursor has appeared in 310 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Jan. 8 in “‘OBEX’ Review: An Analog Nightmare,” by Beatrice Loayza:
The year is 1987 — well before our screens launched their world domination — yet Conor’s modest Baltimore home is already filled with gadgets: an early Mac for his gig rendering people’s photos into ASCII artworks (a retro graphic design technique consisting of keyboard characters); a trio of televisions and a massive stockpile of VHS tapes. Like a precursor to our modern generation’s reclusive tech-obsessives, gentle Conor is a shut-in whose only friend is his beloved dog Sandy, who becomes the perfect weapon for cracking open his small world.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word precursor in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how precursor can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
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