pre-

prefix

1
a(1)
: earlier than : prior to : before
Precambrian
prehistoric
(2)
: preparatory or prerequisite to
premedical
b
: in advance : beforehand
precancel
prepay
2
: in front of : anterior to
preaxial
premolar

Word History

Etymology

Latin prae-, from prae in front of, before — more at for

Dictionary Entries Near pre-

prcht

pre-

preabdomen

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Pre-.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pre-. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

pre-

prefix
1
a
: earlier than : before
prehistoric
b
: in preparation for : required for
premedical
2
: in advance : beforehand
prepay
3
: in front of : front
premolar
Etymology

Latin prae- "before," from Latin prae "in front of, before"

Legal Definition

pre-

prefix
1
a
: earlier than : prior to : before
premarital
prejudgment
b
: preparatory or prerequisite to
prehearing
2
: in advance : beforehand
prepay

More from Merriam-Webster on pre-

Nglish: Translation of pre- for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of pre- for Arabic Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Weird Words for Autumn Time

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
petit-fours
Name That Dessert! Hope you’ve saved room for some sweet vocabulary.