preparatory
adj
2 introductory or preliminary
3 occupied in preparation
4 ♦
preparatory to as a preparation to; before a drink preparatory to eating ♦
preparatorily adv
preparatory school
n
1 (in Britain) a private school, usually single-sex and for children between the ages of 6 and 13, generally preparing pupils for public school
2 (in the U.S.) a private secondary school preparing pupils for college, (Often shortened to)
prep school