foretype

noun

1. A type or figure occurring beforehand or in advance; forerunner; predecessor; prototype

   “The last member of the trilogy could not well rival in pathos the Homeric foretype[…]”

   “Their unconsummated relationship was a foretype of the chaste marriage of Mary and Joseph.”

   “We find the two categories of the foretype and type through which the viewer identified Jesus as the Christ, and later Mary of Nazareth as his mother, as the fulfilment Mary of what was promised or prophesied in the persons and motifs of the [...]”

   “The description corresponding to the foretype, except for the entirely dark yellow spines, which are sometimes brown at the base.”

   “It was with this same symbol in view that St. John wrote to the 'seven' Churches, meaning that he was addressing the totality of the one Church. In the Proverbs of Solomon, too, Wisdom, an ancient foretype of the Church, is said to have 'built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.'”

verb

1. (transitive)To make into a foretype, or exemplify as such; to foreshadow; exemplify beforehand

   “Whereupon Charlie, of four, foretyped his possible future, and the present of so many, by the exhibition of what might have been called strongly interested affection: …”

   “We may find ourselves going through stages foretyped by the forerunner and pioneer of our faith even as He died and arose again.”

   “He came to the red men of the isthmus of America, and they foretyped the blood sacrifice of Jesus the Son of God—and slew thousands of young men!”