Vorläufer — meaning in English

English meaning

ancestor noun A person from whom one is descended, further back than a grandparent; a forebear.
forerunner noun A person who runs at the head of a group, ahead of the others.
precursor noun Something or someone that comes before and leads to, or signals, what follows.
predecessor noun A person who held a job, role, or position before the current person.
prequel noun A film, book or series that is made after an existing story but set at an earlier point in it, showing what happened before the original.
progenitor noun A direct ancestor of a person, such as a parent or grandparent.

Vorläufer is used for these senses in English:

ancestor An earlier type; a progenitor
forerunner A precursor or harbinger, a warning ahead.
precursor That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
precursor (chemistry) One of the compounds that participates in the chemical reaction that produces another compound.
predecessor One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position, office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position.
predecessor A model or type of machinery or device which precedes the current (or later) one. Usually used to describe an earlier, outdated model.
prequel (narratology) In a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor, especially the original narrative or (perhaps improper usage) any narrative work with at least one sequel.
progenitor (figuratively) A predecessor of something, especially if also a precursor or model.

noun A person from whom one is descended, further back than a grandparent; a forebear.
noun An earlier version or form of something that later developed into its modern form.

noun A person who runs at the head of a group, ahead of the others.
noun Someone who is not taking part in a race but goes round the course first, to lead the way or check it is ready.
noun Something that comes before an event and hints at what is about to happen.
noun An earlier member of a family or group who came before the current ones.