pre-, prae-

Concerning something preceding and preparing a person for a regular medical course of study: A premedical education was mandatory of all students who wanted to become surgeons.

A drug used for before an anaesthetic is performed: Because Jane was so nervous prior to her operation, she was given a premedicant to induce sedation. and to calm and quiet her down.

1. To think about a situation before jumping into it: Prior to going on their trip the following week, the Curtis family had been premeditating about what they needed to take with them.
2. To plan, to arrange, or to plot an illegal act in advance: Henry was convicted of having premeditated the robbery long before he actually committed the crime.
3. Etymology: possibly from Latin praemediatus, "deliberate, composed or planned beforehand" from prae-, "before" + meditari, "to consider, to think about". © ALL rights are reserved.

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Regarding that which is considered beforehand and appears mostly in criminal-law contexts: Because the term premeditated so often precedes a bad legal act of some kind, as in a premeditated murder, the word has taken on very negative connotations.

A speculation or an arrangement of something in advance: Hector's murderous attack on the family obviously was a premeditation which he had planned long before it took place.

Referring to the time or experiences before menses, or before menses begins for the first time: The few days before her period begins, Jane often has premenstrual cramps and feels lousy and miserable.

The days immediately prior to a menstrual period: Sherry always knew by the premenstruum when her menses was going to begin and she always felt terrible then.

To deserve in advance or ahead of time: Tom's parents decided to premerit him on his good work in school prior to receiving his grades at the end of the term.

1. To state or to assume something as pre-existing during an argument: Henry premised his speech with the idea that everyone wants to have a job and to be able to take care of themselves economically.

Sam, do you mean to premise that the bank lied to us about the amount of funds in our account?

2. To provide an explanation before the main contents: The author premised his readers with an introductory note to explain the purpose of his book.
3. Etymology: from Latin praemittere "to send or to put before"; from prae-, "before" + mittere, "to send".

1. A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn: Max disagreed with May's premise that the rainstorm would keep them from being able to go to school.
2. A statement in advance as an introduction or an explanation: Since Mark fell down and got his clothing all muddy, his premise to his mother justified his reason for returning home instead of going to see the movie.
3. Etymology: from Latin, praemittere, "to set in front"; prae- or pre-, "before" + mittere, "to send". © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A forewarning; a prior warning or notification: Jack remembers that before the earthquake took place, his two dogs were restless and greatly disturbed, as if they had premonitions that a shaking in the area was about to happen.
2. A feeling about a situation or an event before it takes place: Martin Luther King presented a speech consisting of premonitions of his death just days before he was murdered in 1968. © ALL rights are reserved.

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Referring to the occurrence of symptoms or indications of a disease or an illness: Mildred was depressed with symptoms of having little faith in herself, or low self-esteem, which prognosticated a premorbid condition including headaches.

Regarding a part of a plant, as a root, that has been terminated abruptly, or as if something were bitten off; unevenly truncate: Little Sally was surprised when she saw the premorse leaf of her newly planted flower that had evidently been chewed off by some uninvited creature or insect!

1. Pertaining to something that exists or is performed shortly before death: Just before Aunt Lucy died, Dr. Smith diagnosed a premortal temperature fall, and a post-mortem was performed afterwards to determine why she had died so suddenly.
2. Regarding life before its beginning; pre-existence: In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is said that all people dwelled with God as premortal beings before entering the world.

Someone who is about to die: The last words of the premortient before departing from the world were directed to his daughter and he said quietly that she would inherit all of his money!