previous

[ pree-vee-uhs ]

adjective

1. coming or occurring before something else; prior:

   the previous owner.

   Synonyms: foregoing, preceding, former

2. Informal. done, occurring, etc., before the proper time; premature:

   Aren't you a little previous with that request?

previous

/ ˈpriːvɪəs /

adjective

1. prenominal existing or coming before something else in time or position; prior
2. informal.
   postpositive taking place or done too soon; premature
3. previous to
   before; prior to

Derived Forms

• ˈpreviousness, noun
• ˈpreviously, adverb

Other Words From

• pre·vi·ous·ly adverb
• pre·vi·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of previous¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin praevius “going before,” equivalent to prae- pre- + vi(a) “way” + -us adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of previous¹

C17: from Latin praevius leading the way, from prae before + via way

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. previous to, before; prior to:

   Previous to moving here she lived in Chicago.

Example Sentences

Dr. Isaiah's findings expand upon his previous research linking frequent snoring to concerning brain changes and behavioral problems in children, with long-term follow-up of these children into their teen years.

From Science Daily

Many previous studies of the gut looked at cells or organ-like assemblies of cells in a dish.

From Science Daily

Already this diverges from Schur’s previous hits, in that Charles doesn’t have a corporate structure to navigate or any professional obligations.

From Salon

When comparing land and ocean, Sippel noticed a systematic deviation: at the beginning of the 20th century, ocean temperatures were lower than in previous decades, while over land air temperatures remained relatively constant.

From Science Daily

Curious about what its role in hepatitis A infection might be, Lemon and colleagues dove into current literature, finding just a dozen previous research papers mentioning the protein.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• earlier
• past
• preceding