premeditate

[ pri-med-i-teyt ]

verb (used with object)

, pre·med·i·tat·ed, pre·med·i·tat·ing.

1. to meditate, consider, or plan beforehand:

   to premeditate a murder.

premeditate

/ prɪˈmɛdɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. to plan or consider (something, such as a violent crime) beforehand

Derived Forms

• preˈmediˌtative, adjective
• preˈmediˌtator, noun
• preˈmediˌtatedly, adverb

Other Words From

• pre·medi·tative adjective
• pre·medi·tator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of premeditate¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin praemeditātus, past participle of praemeditārī “to contemplate in advance”; pre-, meditate

Synonym Study

See deliberate.

Example Sentences

Despite characterizations of premeditated grooming, Britt asserted that she felt safer with him than with any of the many men in her young life at whose hands she had, in Barney’s words, “suffered unspeakable violence.”

From Los Angeles Times

The panel accepted Anderson's evidence that he had faced "challenging personal circumstances" on the day and his "unacceptable behaviour was not planned or premeditated".

From BBC

“I just love hearing about how premeditated everything is,” Cole added.

From Los Angeles Times

Sancho was found guilty of premeditated murder, concealing a corpse, and destruction of property.

From BBC

“A lot of the work now is very premeditated, quite intellectual and less reliant on the photographic capability of the camera,” she said.

From New York Times