previous

American  

[pree-vee-uhs] / ˈpri vi əs /

adjective

1. coming or occurring before something else; prior.

   the previous owner.

   Synonyms:

   foregoing, preceding, former

2. Informal. done, occurring, etc., before the proper time; premature.

   Aren't you a little previous with that request?

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idioms

1. previous to, before; prior to.

   Previous to moving here she lived in Chicago.

previous British  

/ ˈpriːvɪəs /

adjective

1. (prenominal) existing or coming before something else in time or position; prior

2. informal (postpositive) taking place or done too soon; premature

3. before; prior to

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Other Word Forms

• previously adverb
• previousness noun

Etymology

Origin of previous

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin praevius “going before,” equivalent to prae- pre- + vi(a) “way” + -us adjective suffix

Example Sentences

Prior to the Ashes, the Durham man had not managed to play a full part in any of England's previous four Test series.

From BBC

While Fiona has made a good impression on the faithfuls so far... have previous cohorts cast a shadow of doubt over the trusted Welsh accent?

From BBC

The BBC obtained a letter from the Dutch police inspectorate in December, which appears to contradict claims made by the West Midlands force about Maccabi fans' previous behaviour.

From BBC

On December 28, a previous low in the rial -- then at 1.43 million to the dollar -- had driven traders into the streets and sparked the protest movement.

From Barron's

The device can be used to take photographs and stream content and unlike previous smartglasses, the model features a small display that the wearer can see from the corner of his or her eye.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• earlier
• past
• preceding