pre-, prae-

A reference to something which occurred or prevailed before the universe: The book Susan was reading was about precosmic existence, and what might have been prior to space or the creation of the sun or planets.

A reference to being located in front of a rib or the ribs; pertaining to the upper regions of the body: Andrew suffered a precostal injury when he fell on an icy sidewalk.

Referring to the existence or an occurrence before the creation of the world: The term precreative also means that something happened in an ancient time.

1. A person or something that comes before an action or a situation, as in a job, a method, etc.: Taking advanced computer classes, especially programming, can be a precursor to being qualified for better paying jobs with businesses or individuals.
2. A person, animal, or thing that happens before and indicates the approach of someone or something else; a harbinger or foretelling: The budding of tree leaves is a precursor of spring and so is the sight of certain birds, such as robins.
3. Someone or something that comes before and is often considered to lead to the development of another person or thing: Small tremors can be precursors to earthquakes.

Lightening is almost always the precursor to thunder.

6. An individual who held a position or a job before someone else: Being a skilled writer was Mark's precursor to being a full-time reporter for the local newspaper. © ALL rights are reserved.
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1. Pertaining to an initial or an introductory stage: The mayor made a precursory statement that he was considering the possibility of running for governor of his state.
2. Referring to an indication of something that is to come: The thunder and dark clouds were precursory warnings that heavy rain was on its way.

1. To put the indication of time on something, such as a check or contract, which is earlier than the actual or anticipated time or instance of a business matter: In her narration, the witness tried to predate her evidence to the consternation of the jury.
2. To come before someone or something else in time: Mr. Jones predated Bruce's father by several years.
3. To establish something as being earlier relative to something else: Adriana's research concluded that the development of the bicycle as a mode of transportation predated the development of the automobile by many years.

1. Someone who came before another person in time, such as in holding a position or office in public office or business: Jane's predecessor in the field of gardening taught her everything she needed to know in order to be successful in her work.
2. Something previously in use or existence that has been replaced or succeeded by something else: The predecessor of the new bridge was a very old one made of wood and was falling apart!

1. Someone who believes or maintains the theological doctrine of destiny or fate, especially in an extreme form: Jack was considered to be a predestinarian, or fatalist, who thought he was doomed to die the next day because of a traffic accident!
2. In theology, anyone who believes God has determined all occurrances in advance: A predestinarian accepts the doctrine that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity including the final salvation of mankind.

The principle that an individual is incapable in changing his or her destiny: Alice really thought that she was powerless to influence her future, and her friends thought that this predesinarianism hindered her in becoming a terrific pianist.

1. To foreordain by spiritual decree or purpose: Many people in the congregation believed that occurrences in their future were determined beforehand, or predestinated, by God, and that they were powerless to make their own decisions.
2. To predetermine; to decide in advance: Tom thought he was predestinated to become a teacher since both of his parents were teachers themselves.

1. In theology, a belief that everything is determined in advance, usually by a God or a deity: Predestination, usually associated with John Calvin, is the doctrine that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity and excludes any deviation from it.
2.. A previous determination as if by destiny: Since she believed in predestination, she thought she was excluded from any personal responsibility in the business affair.

1. The act of ordaining in advance what is to take place: It was an act of predetermination when the two film enthusiasts, Mary and Max, met at the film rental shop and reached simultaneously for the only copy of the very popular movie.
2. A purpose formed beforehand: Adam was told by the minister that there was a predetermination of God's will in people's lives.

1. To decide, to agree, or to arrange something before it happens: Hayden felt that his life was predetermined to be a football player.

Ben and Beatrice had to predetermine when and where they would be going on their summer vacation.

2. To settle on something or to reach a decision before it is actually completed: Jane and Janet, the organizers of the beauty contest, were predetermining who the winner would be before the actual voting took place.

1. One of the attributes or characteristics in Aristotelian logic, including designations of genus, species, etc.: The logics professor at the university urged her students to understand the predicables of Aristotelian deductive reasoning.
2. Something which can be stated or that can be said about someone or something: The predicables that Aunt Hattie made about the farm were accurate because she had grown up in an agricultural area.
3. Etymology: from medieval Latin praedicabilis, "able to be affirmed: from Latin praedicare, "to declare"; from prae-, "beforehand" + dicare, "to make known".

1. An unpleasant or dangerous condition or position: Sparky, the lively kitten, was always getting itself into predicaments, such as climbing a tree and not being able to get down.
2. A complicated, perplexing situation from which it is difficult to disentangle oneself: The government assistance department attempted to explain the dangerous predicaments which were facing journalists who were going to certain foreign countries. © ALL rights are reserved.

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