predate

American  

[pree-deyt] / ˈpriˈdeɪt /

verb (used with object)

predated, predating

1. to date before the actual time; antedate.

   He predated the check by three days.

2. to precede in date.

   a house that predates the Civil War.

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predate British  

/ priːˈdeɪt /

verb

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

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

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

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Etymology

Origin of predate

First recorded in 1860–65; pre- + date ¹

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."

Example Sentences

Complicating Iran’s recovery is a host of economic and social ills that predate the recent war, including a worsening banking crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 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

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

According to the authors, candidates like Katie Porter and Antonio Villaraigosa have recognized that California’s homelessness and affordability crises predate Trump and require sustained, substantive policy solutions rather than rhetoric alone.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

There are Mesopotamian inscriptions referring to Venus that predate the time when Velikovsky says Venus changed from a comet into a planet.’

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• anticipate
• foreshadow
• outrank
• presage