Preliminære

Preliminære is the plural form of the Norwegian adjective preliminær, meaning preliminary or initial. The term is used to describe something that comes before the final or main stage of a process, often provisional, tentative, or intended to inform later steps. It is common in formal writing to indicate that information or actions are not yet final.

The word appears in a variety of contexts. In research and science, preliminære data or preliminære resultater refer to early findings that may change with further investigation. In law and public administration, preliminære undersøkelser or preliminære utredninger describe preparatory work that precedes formal decisions or proceedings. In project planning and policy work, preliminære krav, estimater, eller planer are used to outline early expectations before binding commitments. In archaeology, construction, and environmental assessments, preliminære undersøkelser denote initial surveys or tests conducted before more extensive work.

Etymology and related forms: preliminær derives from a prefix meaning before the main event, sharing cognates with other Scandinavian languages such as Danish præliminær and Swedish preliminär, as well as the English preliminary. The plural form preliminære is used when modifying plural nouns in Norwegian.

Usage notes: preliminære typically appears in formal or technical contexts and signals that conclusions are provisional. The term can be replaced by more precise phrases when appropriate, such as “foreløpige” or “tidlige,” depending on the context and desired nuance. Overall, preliminære helps mark stages of work that precede the final, decisive outcomes.