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

This is even more striking in Submission than in his previous books.

From The Daily Beast

And their fundraising collapsed by 50 percent from the previous year.

From The Daily Beast

Millennials also thinks about our public personas so much more than previous generations.

From The Daily Beast

The legislation strengthens and updates a previous version of the bill that expired in 2011.

From The Daily Beast

There have been previous waves of people moving to Texas, and we are now experiencing the latest wave.

From The Daily Beast

Prima facie, the verdict here is less favorable than in the previous case.

From Project Gutenberg

The evening previous to his death he was walking about the farm, in the full possession of all his faculties of mind and body.

From Project Gutenberg

On joining the earl, father and son met as if they had parted only the previous day.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1205 wheat was worth 12 pence per bushel, which was cheap, as there had been some years of famine previous thereto.

From Project Gutenberg

He was a bookbinder previous to going upon the stage; and acquired a high degree of reputation as an actor.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• earlier
• past
• preceding