propaedeutic

• propedeutic
• propædeutic (obsolete)

From the Ancient Greek προπαιδεύω (propaideúō, “I give preparatory instruction”), from πρό (pró, “before”) + παιδεύω (paideúō, “I teach”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌpɹoʊpiːˈdjuːtɪk/, /ˌpɹɑpəˈduːtik/

propaedeutic (comparative more propaedeutic, superlative most propaedeutic)

1. (formal, of education) Preparatory or introductory.
   • 1868, Mark Pattison, Suggestions on Academical Organisation with Especial Reference to Oxford, section VI: “Of the Studies Preliminary to the Degree”, § 4: ‘Liberal Studies (Arts) and Special Studies (Science)’, pages 261–262:

     On the other hand, the German university exhibits a system in which the university course is almost wholly special; the liberal and propædeutic studies are relegated to the grammar-school.

   • 2014, Philip Altbach, editor, International Higher Education, volume 2, Routledge, →ISBN, page 624:

     Students were not allowed to repeat the first propedeutic year more than once or to spend more than six years at universities; […]

propaedeutic (plural propaedeutics)

1. An introductory course of instruction.
   • 2009, J. J. McMurtry, Darryl Reed, editors, Co-operatives in a Global Economy, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, →ISBN, page 56:

     This chapter aims to be a propedeutic because there are many specific lines of argument that could, and should, be developed from the observation of the unique values-based and globalized-movement nature of co-operatives […]