predawn

[ pree-dawn, pree- ]

noun

1. the period immediately preceding dawn.

adjective

1. noting the time immediately prior to dawn.

Word History and Origins

Origin of predawn¹

First recorded in 1945–50; pre- + dawn

Example Sentences

During the predawn magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake of 1994, 16 people died when their apartments collapsed.

From Los Angeles Times

What makes Draconids rare is that they are visible throughout the night, unlike other meteor showers that are primarily visible between midnight and predawn hours.

From Los Angeles Times

Another major NAR leader broadcast daily prayers ahead of the rally; in a predawn address hours before the insurrection, he too proclaimed on social media that it was “one of the most critical days in our history.”

From Slate

In the predawn hours of June 4, 1989, the Chinese army was bringing a bloody end to seven weeks of student-led protests centered on Tiananmen Square, Beijing’s historic center.

From Los Angeles Times

In a predawn spree that lasted little more than a minute, the thief stuffed a garbage bag with about $10,000 worth of figurines before sprinting to a waiting car and speeding off.

From Los Angeles Times