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Definition of priors - 3 dictionary results

pri⋅or

1  [prahy-er]
Use priors in a Sentence
–adjective
1. preceding in time or in order; earlier or former; previous: A prior agreement prevents me from accepting this.
2. preceding in importance or privilege.
–noun
3. Informal. a prior conviction.
—Idiom
4. prior to, preceding; before: Prior to that time, buffalo had roamed the Great Plains in tremendous numbers.
Origin:
1705–15; < L: former, elder, superior (adj.), before (adv.); akin to prime, pre-

Related forms:
pri⋅or⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. anterior, antecedent.

pri⋅or

2  [prahy-er]
–noun
1. an officer in a monastic order or religious house, sometimes next in rank below an abbot.
2. a chief magistrate, as in the medieval republic of Florence.
Origin:
bef. 1100; ME, late OE < ML, LL: one superior in rank; n. use of prior prior 1

Related forms:
pri⋅or⋅ship, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To priors
pri·or 2   (prī'ər)   
n.  
  1. A monastic officer in charge of a priory or ranking next below the abbot of an abbey.
  2. One of the ruling magistrates of the medieval Italian republic of Florence.

[Middle English priour, from Old English and Old French prior, both from Medieval Latin, from Latin, superior; see per1 in Indo-European roots.]
pri'or·ate (-ĭt), pri'or·ship' (-shĭp') n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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