Meaning & use
forerunner
A person or thing that precedes and indicates the approach of another, especially as an early form or predecessor.
See it in a sentence
The telegraph is often called the forerunner of modern telecommunications.
Early trade guilds were, in some ways, the forerunners of today's labor unions.
A note on using this word
Forerunner emphasizes a historical link, showing how one thing paved the way for a later development.
Words with a similar meaning
precursorpredecessor
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
successor
Make it your own
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