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

Previous studies have shown that exercise in leisure time is more beneficial for the cardiovascular system than physical activity at work, which can even be detrimental to health.

From Science Daily

The latest results confirm previous findings that physical activity at work can be harmful to the heart and circulatory system.

From Science Daily

"Previous research has normally focused on reducing one type of defect, but that would require the usage of other techniques to mitigate the remaining types of defects," Chen says.

From Science Daily

That’s because there were more than 60,000 provisional ballots this year, many more than previous years.

From Slate

In a previous statement, Essex Police said officers “went to a residential address to arrange a time to do an interview with a woman about a complaint made by a member of the public”.

From BBC

Related Words

• earlier
• past
• preceding