noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
going first; starting ahead; departing in advance
Used when a person, group, vehicle, or unit starts or goes ahead before others. Often appears as 先発する, 先発の, or in compounds such as 先発隊 and 先発組.
See also: 後発
調査隊の一部が先発した。
Part of the survey team went ahead first.
先発組は現地で準備を始めている。
The advance group has started preparations on site.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
starting in a game; being in the starting lineup; starting pitcher
Sports use for starting a match or game as a player, especially common with pitchers in baseball. It can also modify nouns as in 先発メンバー or 先発投手.
彼は明日の試合に先発する。
He will start in tomorrow's game.
先発投手が七回まで無失点に抑えた。
The starting pitcher held them scoreless through the seventh inning.