The meaning of PRE- is earlier than : prior to : before. How to use pre- in a sentence.

Feb 8, 2026 · Before; earlier in time; beforehand. This prefix is usually prefixed to words without using a hyphen (for example, prefix, predate). A hyphen is used in the following cases:

before (a time or an event): precooked food a preexisting condition (Definition of pre- from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

See examples of pre- used in a sentence.

before in time, rank, order, position, etc: predate; pre-eminent; premeditation; prefrontal; preschool.

Pre- is used to form words that indicate that something takes place before a particular date, period, or event. ...his pre-war job. ...pre-1971 cars. ...life in pre-industrial England.

pre-, prefix meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Pre- definition: Anterior; in front of.

pre-, prefix. pre- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "before, in front of,'' "prior to, in advance of,'' "being more than, surpassing'': pre- + -dict → predict (= say in advance of something);

This article provides a comprehensive list of 4,894 words with the prefix ‘pre’. The words are arranged by common usage, so you can easily find the word you are looking for.