Foreparty

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small group sent on ahead of the main body of a company or expedition to prepare the way ; a social gathering held before a larger party or event begins
2. A detachment that travels in front of the main force to scout and prepare the route ; an informal get-together that takes place ahead of a bigger celebration
3. A vanguard dispatched in advance of the principal group to make ready for its arrival ; a preliminary celebration held before the main festivities start

Etymology: "Foreparty" is a compound built from "fore," meaning "front" or "before," and "party," which in older English meant a group of people acting together, such as a detachment of soldiers or a band sent off on some task. Together they describe a body of people sent ahead of the main group, scouting or preparing the way for those who follow. The word appeared in Middle English as "forepartye." The "fore-" element is an ordinary English prefix that has meant "before in place or time" since Old English, so the compound is transparent: a party sent in front. The noun is a fairly literal construction rather than a term with a dramatic twist in its history.