preliminare

Preliminare is an Italian adjective meaning "preliminary" or "initial." It designates something that precedes the main event, action, or stage. The term derives from Latin prelimināris, formed from pre- “before” and limen “threshold.” In Italian, it can be used attributively, as in fase preliminare, and as a noun in the plural preliminari to refer to preliminary matters or rounds.

In law and governance, preliminare elements include investigations, agreements, or procedures that establish the framework for subsequent action. In business and contracts, clauses or conditions described as preliminari indicate provisional terms awaiting later negotiation or confirmation. In sports and competitions, the fase preliminare or turni preliminari refers to qualifying rounds that determine entrants for the main event. In education and research, esame preliminare and studi preliminari describe initial assessments or early studies that precede more definitive work.

Usage notes emphasize temporality and provisional character, often contrasting preliminare with definitive or final stages (definitivo, finale). The term is common in Italian-language contexts and appears in bilingual or international documents to convey an initial or preparatory phase. While closely related to the general English notion of preliminary, preliminare is specifically the Italian form and is frequently retained in Italian writings even within multilingual contexts.