prep

¹ American  

[prep] / prɛp /

noun

1. preparatory school.

2. a preliminary or warm-up activity or event; trial run.

   The race is a good prep for the Kentucky Derby.

3. preparation.

   dealer prep on the car included.

4. the act of preparing a patient for a medical or surgical procedure.

---

adjective

1. preparatory.

   a prep school.

2. involving or used for preparation.

   the mortuary's prep room.

verb (used with object)

prepped, prepping

1. to prepare (a person) for a test, debate, etc.

2. to prepare (a patient) for a medical or surgical procedure, as by shaving and washing the skin with an antibacterial soap.

3. to prepare (a vehicle or craft) for sale, use, a test drive, or a race.

4. to prepare (something); make ready.

   You can prep the onions and peppers in advance.

verb (used without object)

prepped, prepping

1. to prepare; get ready.

   to prep for the game.

2. to attend a preparatory school.

PrEP ² American  

[prep] / prɛp /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. pre-exposure prophylaxis: the prevention of a disease such as HIV or hepatitis A through the use of pills or vaccine, administered typically to those whose risk of contracting the disease is substantial.

---

prep. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. preparation.

2. preparatory.

3. prepare.

4. preposition.

---

prep. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. preparation

2. preparatory

3. preposition

---

prep ² British  

/ prɛp /

noun

1. informal short for preparation preparatory school

---

verb

1. (tr) to prepare (a patient) for a medical operation or procedure

Usage

What else does prep mean? Preps are people who live a preppy lifestyle, associated with young, rich, usually white men and their stereotypical fashion.

Etymology

Origin of prep

First recorded in 1860–65; by shortening

Example Sentences

I hadn’t done Stray Cat prep, since his appearance was a surprise.

From Literature

That moment confirmed two things for Walden: “First, I can actually write that music,” the composer said in a recent interview at his Franklin Hills home while in the thick of Oscars prep.

From Los Angeles Times

I’m sure I can find some online thing that will double as prep for next year’s curriculum, but I haven’t figured out what to look for yet.

From Literature

It’s much easier to stock a supportive fridge, prep a few flexible building blocks and make healthy food genuinely delicious than it is to rely solely on willpower.

From Salon

After Wall Street Journal columnist Laura Saunders wrote about how AI can help with tax prep work, research and planning, readers wrote to us about how they are using it.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adorn
• arm
• deck out
• decorate
• dress
• endow
• furnish
• gear
• prepare
• provide
• qualify
• rig
• set up
• supply