A sample or hint of something that will come later; an early experience that suggests what's to come.
Compound of 'fore-' (before) and 'taste.' First appeared in literature around 1590s, describing both literal preliminary tasting and metaphorical advance experiences.
Foretaste perfectly captures why the first episode of a TV series matters so much—audiences taste the quality upfront and decide whether the whole experience is worth their time, making that initial sample incredibly powerful.
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