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

She said it was daunting at first, as many actors in the cast already knew each other from previous seasons, but that she soon felt "part of the family".

From BBC

‘If production does need to be shutdown … it can take many weeks, or even months, to fully restart production’ to previous levels.

From MarketWatch

Although the peer had initially been cleared in two previous investigations, a third probe was opened due to new information coming to light.

From BBC

Hovering above the village of Ronchamp, it still relies on concrete, but any further connection to Le Corbusier’s previous buildings seems to end there.

From The Wall Street Journal

Case challenges the legal basis for new duties imposed after the Supreme Court struck down previous tariffs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• earlier
• past
• preceding