preparation

American  

[prep-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˌprɛp əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

• preparations
  plural

1. a proceeding, measure, or provision by which one prepares for something.

   preparations for a journey.

2. any proceeding, experience, or the like considered as a mode of preparing for the future.

3. an act of preparing.

4. the state of being prepared.

5. something prepared, manufactured, or compounded.

   a special preparation for sunbathers.

6. a specimen, as an animal body, prepared for scientific examination, dissection, etc.

7. Music.

   1. the preparing of a dissonance, by introducing the dissonant tone as a consonant tone in the preceding chord.

   2. the tone so introduced.

8. New Testament. the day before the Sabbath or a feast day.

9. British. work done by students in preparation for class; homework.

10. the Preparation, the introductory prayers of the Mass or other divine service.

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preparation British  

/ ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of preparing

2. the state of being prepared; readiness

3. (often plural) a measure done in order to prepare for something; provision

   to make preparations for something

4. something that is prepared, esp a medicinal formulation

5. 1. homework

   2. Usually shortened to: prep.  the period reserved for this

6. music

   1. the anticipation of a dissonance so that the note producing it in one chord is first heard in the preceding chord as a consonance

   2. a note so employed

7. (often capital) the preliminary prayers at Mass or divine service

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpreparation
  noun
• prepreparation
  noun
• self-preparation
  noun
• superpreparation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preparations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of preparation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English preparacion, from Latin praeparātiōn-, stem of praeparātiō, from praeparāt(us) “made ready beforehand” (past participle of praeparāre “to make ready beforehand”; see prepare) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Preparation is the act of preparing — getting ready, planning, training, or studying with a goal in mind. If you know pre means before, then you have a clue to the meaning of preparation. Dressing up before a date, learning your lines for a play, and attending medical school are all forms of preparation. Boot camp is preparation for soldiers. Rehearsal is preparation for actors. In cooking a huge meal, you have to do a lot of preparation before actually beginning to cook. If you fail a test, you clearly need to do more preparation next time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preparation preparations

The possibility of closely spaced earthquakes could have major consequences for disaster preparation.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

McDonald’s on Wednesday also said it would roll out bigger burgers, adding that it was exploring fresh Quarter Pounders and hot-off-the-grill preparation in more areas.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

In the end, we made academic preparation our top priority.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

"You don't have someone to hold you and go, 'Look I've done the same thing, but don't worry' … that lack of preparation I think really does affect you," she explains.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

As he talked, he looked from me to the pocket set, back and forth—at least at first—and spat out a scholarly treatise on his method of preparation.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Conversations with the police department, he said, “have been purely on standard preparations for this event, as well as standard preparations for keeping New Yorkers safe.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

If forecasters can recognize earlier when a poorly organized tropical cyclone is becoming more favorable for strengthening, they may be able to provide communities with additional time for evacuation decisions and other preparations.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

"The final preparations are all on track and progressing smoothly ahead of what promises to be the most spectacular Asian Games held for generations," their statement read.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Pro tip: Birch also hosts Pepe’s Oyster Bar, a monthly pop-up named for chef Kyle Knall’s late father, featuring a rotating menu of hot and cold oyster and seafood preparations.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

Wilkins’s DNA preparations were of poor quality and wouldn't generate good photographs.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• education
• establishment
• formation
• groundwork
• measure
• plan
• precaution
• preparedness
• qualification
• rehearsal
• study
• training