preprandial

American  

[pree-pran-dee-uhl] / priˈpræn di əl /

adjective

1. before a meal, especially before dinner; anteprandial.

   a preprandial apéritif.

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preprandial British  

/ priːˈprændɪəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the period immediately before lunch or dinner

   enjoy a preprandial drink

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Etymology

Origin of preprandial

First recorded in 1815–25; pre- + prandial

Explanation

Anything preprandial happens before eating a meal. If you find yourself starving after school, you might have a preprandial snack to tide you over until dinner. Preprandial adds the "before" prefix, pre- to the Latin root prandium, "luncheon," or "a meal." It's not a very common adjective these days, and you're most likely to hear it used in a joking manner, or possibly in a doctor's instructions. A preprandial dose of medicine, for example, is supposed to be taken right before you eat. And you might be happy to see the preprandial bread basket a waiter brings before taking your order.

Example Sentences

But it’s easily converted to a more preprandial version by decreasing the amount of port and pear liqueur to ¼ ounce each.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2016

Would you come over to our very cozy little room and have a cup of tea or a preprandial cocktail?

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2015

It is sculptured to resemble a squirrel, hence the dish is announced in advance by one interpreter as "tree rat," provoking preprandial nausea among several F.F.s.

From Time Magazine Archive

There was no strain or uneasiness about the meeting; his "Hello, Beatrice," received by her almost on the wing as she passed on some slight preprandial mission, was a model of cordial familiarity.

From The Whirligig of Time by Williams, Wayland Wells

He had done it, aided by a photograph, and by Johnnie Orgreave in details of perspective, and by dint of preprandial frequentings of the Sytch, as a gift for Mrs Orgreave.

From Clayhanger by Bennett, Arnold