prelim vs preliminary

prelim and preliminary both are nouns.

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

As nouns, prelim and preliminary are synonyms defined as:

prelim (noun)	preliminary (noun)
an examination taken by graduate students to determine their fitness to continue	a minor match preceding the main event
a minor match preceding the main event	something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows

prelim (adjective)	preliminary (adjective)
	denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important