-
a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “before” (preclude; prevent ); applied freely as a prefix, with the meanings “prior to,” “in advance of,” “early,” “beforehand,” “before,” “in front of,” and with other figurative meanings (preschool; prewar; prepay; preoral; prefrontal ).
abbreviation
-
Petroleum Refining Engineer.
prefix
-
before in time, rank, order, position, etc
predate
pre-eminent
premeditation
prefrontal
preschool
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged"
2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986
© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Etymology
Origin of
pre-
< Latin prae-, prefixal use of prae (preposition and adv.); akin to first, fore-, prior 1, pro 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any
opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A 2025 UC Institutional Research and Academic Planning report found that student outcomes pre- and post-SAT/ACT requirement stayed mostly stable.
From
Los Angeles Times
• Jun. 11, 2026
“NewsNation got the last Republican primary debate, and for the pre- and postshow discussions, they didn’t have a single Democrat,” she said.
From
Slate
• Apr. 21, 2026
The IRS limit on total pre- and post-tax contributions is about $75,000, so I have been working the last few years to pad our Roth savings.
From
MarketWatch
• Mar. 13, 2026
Many advisors recommend a mix of pre- and post-tax money in retirement for maximum flexibility.
From
Barron's
• Nov. 27, 2025
His absence bloomed in her until she grew absent herself, pre- ternaturally agreeable.
From
"Typical American" by Gish Jen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
