precursor

1 of 1noun

/prɪˈkɝsɚ/

Forms:precursors

someone or something that comes before another of the same type, acting as a sign of what will come next

The invention of the telegraph was a precursor to modern communication technologies.
His early works were seen as a precursor to his later, more mature art.
The dark clouds were a precursor to the approaching storm.
The discovery of this ancient tool is considered a precursor to modern machinery.
Her innovative ideas were a precursor to the technological breakthroughs of the 21st century.

Synonyms:

a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction)