Pronunciation: /priːˈklɪnɪk(ə)l/
adjective
Medicine-
1relating to or denoting the first, chiefly theoretical, stage of a medical education: preclinical students
-
2relating to or denoting the stage in a disease prior to the appearance of symptoms that make a diagnosis possible: preclinical muscular dystrophy
-
3relating to or denoting the stage of drug testing that precedes the clinical stage: preclinical trials