forerunner

noun
UK: /ˈfɔːrʌnər/
US: /ˈfɔːrrʌnər/

  1. A person or thing that comes before and indicates the approach of someone or something else.

    1. The robin is a forerunner of spring.
    2. The economic recovery was a forerunner to a period of sustained growth for the company.

  2. An ancestor or predecessor.

    1. My grandfather was a forerunner in the field.
    2. This ancient tool is a forerunner of the modern computer we all use today.

Synonyms

precursor herald ancestor predecessor

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "forerunner" in English means: A person or thing that comes before and indicates the approach of someone or something else., An ancestor or predecessor..

The phonetic transcription of "forerunner" is /ˈfɔːrʌnər/ in British English and /ˈfɔːrrʌnər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "forerunner": precursor, herald, ancestor, predecessor.

Example usage of "forerunner": "The robin is a forerunner of spring.". More examples on the page.