preparation

American  

[prep-uh-ray-shuhn] / ˌprɛp əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

• preparations
  plural

1. a proceeding, measure, or provision by which one prepares for something.

   preparations for a journey.

2. any proceeding, experience, or the like considered as a mode of preparing for the future.

3. an act of preparing.

4. the state of being prepared.

5. something prepared, manufactured, or compounded.

   a special preparation for sunbathers.

6. a specimen, as an animal body, prepared for scientific examination, dissection, etc.

7. Music.

   1. the preparing of a dissonance, by introducing the dissonant tone as a consonant tone in the preceding chord.

   2. the tone so introduced.

8. New Testament. the day before the Sabbath or a feast day.

9. British. work done by students in preparation for class; homework.

10. the Preparation, the introductory prayers of the Mass or other divine service.

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preparation British  

/ ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of preparing

2. the state of being prepared; readiness

3. (often plural) a measure done in order to prepare for something; provision

   to make preparations for something

4. something that is prepared, esp a medicinal formulation

5. 1. homework

   2. Usually shortened to: prep. the period reserved for this

6. music

   1. the anticipation of a dissonance so that the note producing it in one chord is first heard in the preceding chord as a consonance

   2. a note so employed

7. (often capital) the preliminary prayers at Mass or divine service

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpreparation
  noun
• prepreparation
  noun
• self-preparation
  noun
• superpreparation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preparations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of preparation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English preparacion, from Latin praeparātiōn-, stem of praeparātiō, from praeparāt(us) “made ready beforehand” (past participle of praeparāre “to make ready beforehand”; see prepare) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Preparation is the act of preparing — getting ready, planning, training, or studying with a goal in mind. If you know pre means before, then you have a clue to the meaning of preparation. Dressing up before a date, learning your lines for a play, and attending medical school are all forms of preparation. Boot camp is preparation for soldiers. Rehearsal is preparation for actors. In cooking a huge meal, you have to do a lot of preparation before actually beginning to cook. If you fail a test, you clearly need to do more preparation next time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preparation preparations

On set, Strong, who is famous for his extensive preparation, maintained Zuckerberg’s intonations even when cameras weren’t rolling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Having won the Pearly Spurtle, he then spent the next six weeks improving the recipe in preparation for the ultimate challenge in Scotland.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Although the Earth encounter required extensive preparation, it is relatively simple compared with what awaits Juice at Jupiter.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

Many of the world’s biggest drugmakers have set their sights on China to look for new drug ideas, seeking to bolster their portfolios in preparation for older medicines going off patent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

They also knew that if the wind was strong enough, no preparation was going to save an expensive building or home from damage.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

As part of his preparations for the series, Bartlett went on a photo-taking expedition through Seattle and Tacoma, collecting imagery of Pacific Northwest grunge to share with his artists: crumbling walls, fire escapes, water towers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

For months beforehand, young female soldiers posted at bases along the Gaza border to watch for suspicious activity had warned their superiors about possible preparations for an attack.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

No human studies have yet directly tested how mulberry preparations affect the gut microbiota.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

Fairford has been used by the U.S. military going back to preparations for D-Day in 1944.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

Then he returned to his preparations, and that afternoon it was announced that the Heart of a Dream would leave harbor in three short days.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• education
• establishment
• formation
• groundwork
• measure
• plan
• precaution
• preparedness
• qualification
• rehearsal
• study
• training