pre-

¹ American  

Also prae-

1. a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “before” (preclude; prevent ); applied freely as a prefix, with the meanings “prior to,” “in advance of,” “early,” “beforehand,” “before,” “in front of,” and with other figurative meanings (preschool; prewar; prepay; preoral; prefrontal ).

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P.R.E. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Petroleum Refining Engineer.

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pre- British  

prefix

1. before in time, rank, order, position, etc

   predate

   pre-eminent

   premeditation

   prefrontal

   preschool

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Etymology

Origin of pre-

< Latin prae-, prefixal use of prae (preposition and adv.); akin to first, fore-, prior ¹, pro ¹

Example Sentences

The IRS limit on total pre- and post-tax contributions is about $75,000, so I have been working the last few years to pad our Roth savings.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

The directives require enhanced monitoring of the individuals’ general health and well-being to ensure appropriate pre- and/or postnatal and other medical and mental health care.

From Slate • Dec. 8, 2025

Many advisors recommend a mix of pre- and post-tax money in retirement for maximum flexibility.

From Barron's • Nov. 27, 2025

For studio recordings, the actors are needed for just three or four days, although the entire process from pre- to post-production takes around three to four months.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2025

When Henige wrote Numbers from Nowhere, the fight about pre- Columbian population had already consumed forests’ worth of trees—his bibliography is ninety pages long.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann