pre-, prae-

1. To be the most common or greatest in total or amount: The students at school predominated the number of teachers and those in the administration!
2. To dominate or to control someone or something: While cooking the spaghetti sauce, the smell of garlic predominated all the other ingredients that were used!
3. To be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance: Hispanics predominate in the Los Angeles neighborhood.

At the international conference, the English language predominated all the other languages the members were speaking.
4. To appear very large or to occupy a commanding position: The gigantic tree predominates over the water fountain.

1. To supersede or to take the place of someone or something: The current state law was preempted by a federal law.
2. To take some action that makes the plans of others become irrelevant or insignificant: The U.S. President's speech will be preempting, or replacing, the regular TV program while it is being delivered. © ALL rights are reserved.

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Pertaining to someone or something that has been replaced for another person or action: The preempted TV programs resulted from the repetitions of the "breaking news" throughout the day.

The replacement of one thing for something else: Many radio listeners complained about the excessive preemptions that were taking place instead of the regular programs.

To be present beforehand or to live prior to something else in a specific point of time: Dinosaurs inhabited the earth before mankind arrived, so they preexisted humans on earth.

1. The circumstance of being present before the current time: Many of the stories that can be read in Tom's book preexisted in the old notes and material by the author's great-grandfather.
2. The presence of a soul in an earlier manifestation: Lois always thought that there must have been some preexistence of her spirit, perhaps in another country!

Descriptive of a structure made of standardised factory-made parts: Because the city grew so fast, the government decided to have prefab apartment buildings put up quickly.

Preassembled parts for a building: The street was lined with prefabs which were inexpensive and sold quite rapidly, but were not constructed to last forever!

To manufacture sections of something, such as furniture or a building that can be transported to a specific place and be easily assembled there: Sections of houses that are prefabricated by companies are known as “prefabs” and are put together on the properties which the owners have indicated.

Sam and his family were amazed at how quickly their new house was erected after it was delivered from the factory that had prefabricated it.

One company prefabricated separate pieces for tables and other furniture so the buyers could set them up in their homes quickly and without any problems.

An introductory section at the beginning of a book or speech that comments on aspects of the text: In the preface, the author generally tells why he wrote his book or what his intentions are.

1. To introduce a piece of writing, a speech, a remark, etc. by saying something to another person or to people before the main presentation: Sandra prefaced her new publication with a short statement of what influenced her to write another book about good diets for better health.
2. Etymology: from Latin praefari, "to say before, to introduce"; from prae-, "before" + fari, "to say, to speak." © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. Descriptive of an introduction to something, such as the main body of a text or a speech: The chairman of the business meeting made some prefatory comments about what needed to be done to make more profits for the company in the near future.
2. Etymology: from Latin praefatus, from praefari "to say before"; from prae-, "before" + fari, "to speak" + -ory, "relating to, doing." © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. An official person in Ancient Rome who had control over certain departments or directed a command or charge: In Rome of former times, Avitus was prefect of Gaul in 439 AD.
2. A senior student having the status of power over other students: One function of a prefect in a British school is to have authority over the younger students and also help to control them.
3. A person who is an administrator or executive in a government agency: The term prefect is a bit old-fashioned but can be used to designate an individual in charge of the military or even the US President who is the military commander-in-chief.

To value or to choose one thing over something else: Joan decided she'd prefer chocolate pie instead of cookies.

The broker at the bank, Mr. Smith, consistently prefers investment certificates rather than savings accounts.

Descriptive of something that is valued above other things, or of something that is superior to something else: Cora decided it was a preferable travel choice to go by train than by bus because it took less time.