1. 1. One that precedes, as in time; a predecessor.
   2. An ancestor; a forebear.
2. 1. One that comes before and indicates the approach of another; a harbinger.
   2. A warning sign or symptom.
3. Sports. One who skis the course before the beginning of a race.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.