predate

[ pree-deyt ]

/ ˈpriˈdeɪt /

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See synonyms for predate on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), pre·dat·ed, pre·dat·ing.

to date before the actual time; antedate: He predated the check by three days.

to precede in date: a house that predates the Civil War.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of predate

First recorded in 1860–65; pre- + date¹

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH predate

antedate, predate , postdate

Words nearby predate

precursory, precut, precycle, pred., predacious, predate, predation, predation pressure, predatism, predator, predatory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use predate in a sentence

Cancellation is by no means sufficient to address the student debt crisis—which predates the pandemic—or reach all of the people the pandemic has hurt.
Why Student Debt Cancellation Is Vital for Americans Most Hurt by the Pandemic|Suzanne Kahn and Anna N. Smith|February 5, 2021|Time
For one, his excursions predate the Age of Enlightenment for wildlife protection and conservation.
In ‘The Whispering Land,’ a British naturalist collects travel tales — and animals with tails — in Argentina|Andrea Sachs|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
All were made in 2020, but some address concerns that far predate the pandemic.
In the galleries: Middle East artists examine sheltering in place amid pandemic|Mark Jenkins|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
The character herself, of course, predates that series by decades.
Queer fans’ love of Wonder Woman is bulletproof|John Paul King|December 26, 2020|Washington Blade

Although mail-in voting long predates the pandemic, the 2020 elections expanded access to it as Americans took advantage in vast numbers.
2020 has sucked—but there are some small silver linings|Tanya Basu|December 25, 2020|MIT Technology Review
But he appears to have been a 32-year-old native of Quebec with a history of legal troubles that predate his radicalization.
How Big Is the Canadian Terrorists’ Network?|Tim Mak, Eli Lake, Jacob Siegel|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Parents can be reassured with the finding that sexting may predate sexual behavior,” said Dr. Temple.
Sexting Is the New ‘First Base’|Russell Saunders|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Widespread greed, corruption, and sexual violence predate economic liberalization in 1991.
Delhi in Crisis: How Corruption Rotted a Great Capital|William O’Connor|May 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"The issues at stake in Bahrain predate the Arab Spring," Husain said in an interview with The Daily Beast.
Bahrain Opposition No Pawn of Iran’s Mullahs, Shiite Leader Says|Eli Lake|November 10, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Most of these pieces predate Cleopatra VII but give a stunning sense of her Alexandria.
Cleopatra's Comeback|Stacy Schiff|June 3, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Does a discovery or invention predate a change in scale, or is the new scale a result of it or of several related phenomena?
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin

British Dictionary definitions for predate

predate

/ (priːˈdeɪt) /

verb (tr)

to affix a date to (a document, paper, etc) that is earlier than the actual date

to assign a date to (an event, period, etc) that is earlier than the actual or previously assigned date of occurrence

to be or occur at an earlier date than; precede in time

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

predate

Origin of predate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH predate

Words nearby predate

Words related to predate

How to use predate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for predate