prelusive
Acting as a prelude; preliminary.
On the grim Pequod's forecastle, ye shall ere long see him, beating his tambourine; prelusive of the eternal time, when sent for, to the great quarter-deck on high, he was bid strike in with angels, and beat his tambourine in glory; called a coward here, hailed a hero there!
Where it comes from
From the past participle stem of Latin praelūdere + -ive.
Adapted from the Wiktionary entry prelusive (CC BY-SA 4.0).