Power Prefix: Pre-

Prepare for the TOEFL Exam by learning these words that begin with the prefix pre-, meaning "before."
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. precaution
    a measure taken in advance to ward off impending danger
    Before stepping from the passage between the buildings, I took the precaution of looking up and down the passageway to see if I was being observed. Crispin: The Cross of Lead
  2. precede
    be earlier in time
    The room was dark but there was a grayness in the window like that which precedes the dawn. The Red Pony
  3. precursor
    something indicating the approach of something or someone
    Some see the Scottsboro trials as a precursor of the civil rights movement of later years. BBC (Oct 17, 2013)
  4. predecessor
    one who goes before you in time
    Unlike his predecessor, Customs Officer II did not look sleepy at all. Darius the Great Is Not Okay
  5. predetermine
    establish beforehand
    An interpreter will meet the students at a predetermined spot and walk them to the instructor’s home. Washington Post (Jan 17, 2019)
  6. prediction
    a statement made about the future
    They were predictions of what would happen in the future. Gregor the Overlander
  7. preface
    a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book
    She was trying laboriously to read Mr. Douglass’s book, but was yet to get through the first page of the preface. Lyddie
  8. prefatory
    serving as an introduction or preface
    The prefatory note also asks that reviewers not reveal any major plot points to their readers, a courtesy easily extended. Slate (Oct 11, 2011)
  9. prefix
    an affix that is added in front of the word
    He scribbled sample sentences and added suffixes and prefixes to expand the vocabulary. New York Times (Dec 11, 2011)
  10. prehistoric
    belonging to or existing before recorded times
    They already knew a great deal about the prehistoric creatures that roamed the Serengeti in bygone years. My Life with the Chimpanzees
  11. prejudice
    a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
    One of the most brilliant engineers on the laboratory’s staff took an active interest in standing up to the prejudice he saw around town. Hidden Figures
  12. premature
    too soon or too hasty
    We refuse to waste our energies and yours in premature and ill-considered actions. Invisible Man
  13. premeditated
    characterized by deliberate purpose and a degree of planning
    This was very intentional, very premeditated, and I over-thought the whole thing. Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet
  14. prerequisite
    something that is needed or obligatory in advance
    A degree in English language is not a prerequisite for caring about where a bracket is preferred to a dash, or a comma needs to be replaced by a semicolon. Eats, Shoots & Leaves
  15. preview
    a preliminary introduction to or inspection of something
    Even though we were in homeroom, Miss Taylor couldn’t help giving us a preview of what we were going to do in history that afternoon. The Lions of Little Rock
Created on Thu Sep 09 17:23:10 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Sep 14 12:55:32 EDT 2021)

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