precondition

American  

[pree-kuhn-dish-uhn] / ˌpri kənˈdɪʃ ən /

noun

1. something that must come before or is necessary to a subsequent result; condition.

   a precondition for a promotion.

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verb (used with object)

1. to subject (a person or thing) to a special treatment in preparation for a subsequent experience, process, test, etc..

   to precondition a surface to receive paint.

precondition British  

/ ˌpriːkənˈdɪʃən /

noun

1. a necessary or required condition; prerequisite

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verb

1. (tr) psychol to present successively two stimuli to (an organism) without reinforcement so that they become associated; if a response is then conditioned to the second stimulus on its own, the same response will be evoked by the first stimulus

Etymology

Origin of precondition

First recorded in 1910–15; pre- + condition

Example Sentences

Analysts had said casting a dissenting vote may have been a precondition for keeping his long-shot candidacy viable.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is the precondition for any serious education.

From The Wall Street Journal

“A lower cost of capital as rates comes down can help provide some extra juice, but that is not a precondition for markets to go higher,” Helfstein said.

From MarketWatch

It is also a "precondition" for the possible joint production of military equipment, said a second EU official.

From Barron's

A spokesman at Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in December that Taipei remains open to engaging with all nations, including Honduras, without preconditions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• arrangement
• essential
• necessity
• prerequisite
• provision
• qualification
• requirement
• requisite
• stipulation