explorative vs preliminary

explorative is not a noun while preliminary is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
explorative	No	Yes	No	No
preliminary	Yes	Yes	No	No

explorative (noun)	preliminary (noun)
	a minor match preceding the main event
	something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows

explorative (adjective)	preliminary (adjective)
serving in or intended for exploration or discovery	denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important