pre-

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 ).

Also, prae-.

Origin:
< Latin prae-, prefixal use of prae (preposition and adv.); akin to first, fore, prior, pro¹

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins

World English Dictionary

pre-

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

[from Latin prae-, from prae before, beforehand, in front]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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00:10

Pre- is always a great word to know.

So is quincunx. Does it mean:

a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

pre-

prefix meaning "before," from O.Fr. pre- and M.L. pre-, both from L. præ (adv.) "before," from PIE *prai- (cf. Oscan prai, Umbrian pre, Skt. pare "thereupon," Gk. parai "at," Gaul. are- "at, before," Lith. pre "at," O.C.S. pri "at," Goth. faura, O.E. fore "before"), variant of base per- "beyond."

The L. word was active in forming compound verbs.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

pre- pref.

Earlier; before; prior to: prenatal.
Anterior; in front of: preaxial.

Matching Quote

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-Eric Bentley

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