What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Elementary vs Preliminary - What's the difference?

elementary | preliminary |

As adjectives the difference between elementary and preliminary

is that elementary is relating to the basic, essential or fundamental part of something while preliminary is in preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory.

As a noun preliminary is

a preparation for a main matter; an introduction.

elementary

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Relating to the basic, essential or fundamental part of something.
  • Relating to an elementary school.
  • (physics) Relating to a subatomic particle.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
  • , author=(Jeremy Bernstein) , title=A Palette of Particles , volume=100, issue=2, page=146 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=The physics of elementary particles in the 20th century was distinguished by the observation of particles whose existence had been predicted by theorists sometimes decades earlier.}}
  • (archaic) Sublunary; not celestial; belonging to the sublunary sphere, to which the four classical elements (earth, air, fire and water) were confined; composed of or pertaining to these four elements.
  • References

    *

    preliminary

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • in preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory
  • These are just the preliminary results.
  • *
  • And then, after a few preliminary tries, the whole farm burst out into 'Beasts of England' in tremendous unison.

    Antonyms

    * definitive, final

    Derived terms

    * preliminarily * preliminary results * preliminary considerations

    Noun

    (preliminaries)
  • A preparation for a main matter; an introduction
  • Any of a series of sports events that determine the finalists
  • A relatively minor contest that precedes a major one, especially in boxing