adj 1 a  :  of, relating to, concerned with, or being the period preceding clinical manifestations <the stage of diabetes mellitus>   b  :  occurring prior to clinical testing <the study of a new therapy for gastric cancer>   2  :  of, relating to, or being the period in medical or dental education preceding the clinical study of medicine or dentistry <the years>  : specif  :  of or relating to the early period of prescribed medical or dental study devoted to the basic sciences (as anatomy, physiology, and pathology) < studies>   3  :  of, relating to, or being a science basic to medicine <research in the sciences>  .
 
 
 
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