preparation

American  

[prep-uh-ray-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

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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

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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

Police had parked patrol cars and mobile vans as well as set up two tents near the entrance to the road, in preparation for crowd control.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

On Brazil’s professional soccer fields, players combine meticulous physical preparation with prayers, lucky charms and rituals intended to ward off injury or influence the outcome of a match.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

All roads into Edenbridge will close at 18:00 GMT on Saturday in preparation for the event, which starts at 18:30 with a torch lit procession.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

A DOJ spokesperson said “the best preparation for any election official is following federal law.”

From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026

Anya put her hands out and squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath in preparation.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Hegseth and Cooper have spent weeks making preparations for major combat operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026

The construction of Sizewell C on the Suffolk coast has not yet started, but preparations for the project have begun.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Fears that the pontiff would cancel his trip following the removal of a cancerous lung tumor in mid-October did nothing to deter the feverish preparations.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Retired Air Force colonel Roberto Marchan told AFP the aircraft and facilities observed at Taura suggest preparations for a long-term operational presence.

From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026

Adèle ran quite wild in the midst of it: the preparations for company and the prospect of their arrival, seemed to throw her into ecstasies.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

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Related Words

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

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