verb
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to affix a date to (a document, paper, etc) that is earlier than the actual date
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to assign a date to (an event, period, etc) that is earlier than the actual or previously assigned date of occurrence
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to be or occur at an earlier date than; precede in time
Etymology
Origin of predate
Explanation
To predate is to happen or exist before something else. If you move into a house that already has a ghost, the ghost predates you. Boo! If your interest in soul music predates your sister's, you loved it first. When you use predate this way, you can read it as a combination of pre-, "before," and date, "point in time." Another meaning of this verb is "to prey on for food," so you could say that your cat predates the mice that live in your kitchen. This definition stems from predator, from the Latin praedator, "plunderer."
Vocabulary lists containing predate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hispanic communities along Route 66 in New Mexico predate the highway by centuries.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
"The diplomatic relationship between USA and South Africa predate the Trump administration and they will outlive the current White House term of office."
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Both economic reports predate the conflict with Iran, suggesting that growth was already slowing before the recent spike in oil prices added further strain.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Then again, scroll through Carpenter’s many red carpet snapshots and Miss Piggy’s ever-expanding Instagram feed, and you may recognize the similarities predate the special by several years.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026
It is not impossible to imagine priority disputes without the printing press, but in fact there are no priority disputes that we know of which predate printing.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
