prerequisite

American  

[pri-rek-wuh-zit, pree-] / prɪˈrɛk wə zɪt, pri- /

adjective

1. required beforehand.

   a prerequisite fund of knowledge.

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noun

• prerequisites
  plural

1. something prerequisite.

   A visa is still a prerequisite for travel in many countries.

   Synonyms:

   precondition, essential, requisite, requirement

prerequisite British  

/ priːˈrɛkwɪzɪt /

adjective

1. required as a prior condition

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noun

1. something required as a prior condition

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• prerequisites
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of prerequisite

First recorded in 1625–35; pre- + requisite

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Compare meaning

How does prerequisite compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• requisite vs. prerequisite

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Explanation

A prerequisite is a required prior condition. If something is required in advance of something else, like if you have to take a beginning Spanish class before signing up for Spanish II, then it’s a prerequisite. Add pre meaning "before" to require and you have something that's "required before." (That's helpful when trying to spell prerequisite!) Prerequisites to be able to graduate from college can seem like a pain, but most schools offer some fun ways to fulfill them. For example, you can often meet the physical education prerequisite by taking bowling. Prerequisites aren't just for school: “The most called-upon prerequisite of a friend is an accessible ear,” said Maya Angelou, the American poet.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prerequisite prerequisites

A prerequisite to be a bartender, says Marston, will need to be a love of books.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

But the 41-year-old acknowledged Thursday she had failed the bar exam, a prerequisite for practicing law in the United States.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The optimist in me loves the idea that a food bank provides financial education, even if it was a prerequisite to avail of its services.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 26, 2026

"We have seen that vibrating objects can exhibit quantum behavior, which is the prerequisite for many of the operations needed by quantum computing and sensing."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

This new consensus must begin with dialogue, a conversation that fosters a critical consciousness, a key prerequisite to effective social action.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Then proceed to more athletic plyometrics, making sure to note any prerequisites for each exercise.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Such capabilities are considered essential prerequisites for the emergence of living systems.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026

Bolen, who is publishing a book on aging, caregiving and creating family legacy, emphasized that estate planning and giving strategies should prioritize family harmony and care planning as prerequisites to financial gifts.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 10, 2025

At the last G7 meeting, held in Canada in June, the group's member states and Australia decided to collaborate on establishing benchmarks that are "prerequisites for the development of quantum technologies".

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2025

Many other human societies besides those of the Sumerians and early Mexicans—such as those of ancient India, Crete, and Ethiopia—evolved these prerequisites.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

• essential
• must
• precondition
• qualification
• requirement
• requisite

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