prerequisite
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prerequisite
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How does prerequisite compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A prerequisite is a required prior condition. If something is required in advance of something else, like if you have to take a beginning Spanish class before signing up for Spanish II, then it’s a prerequisite. Add pre meaning "before" to require and you have something that's "required before." (That's helpful when trying to spell prerequisite!) Prerequisites to be able to graduate from college can seem like a pain, but most schools offer some fun ways to fulfill them. For example, you can often meet the physical education prerequisite by taking bowling. Prerequisites aren't just for school: “The most called-upon prerequisite of a friend is an accessible ear,” said Maya Angelou, the American poet.
Vocabulary lists containing prerequisite
Power Prefix: pre-
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Grade 9, List 2
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The Vocabulary of College
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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.
See Examples For:
We often take liberty for granted, but it is a prerequisite for everything great.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
That’s why a stable price is a prerequisite for bitcoin becoming a widely used medium of exchange.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
Warsh on Tuesday was confirmed by the Senate to serve as a Fed governor, a prerequisite to sit as chair and a position he previously held from 2006 to 2011.
From BBC ● May 13, 2026
“The only prerequisite is, it should make you happy. If it makes you happy, then it’s good.”
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
Leeuwenhoek and Huygens were among the first people ever to see human sperm cells, a prerequisite for understanding human reproduction.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Such capabilities are considered essential prerequisites for the emergence of living systems.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026
In many cases, such experiences are prerequisites for professional certifications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026
Bolen, who is publishing a book on aging, caregiving and creating family legacy, emphasized that estate planning and giving strategies should prioritize family harmony and care planning as prerequisites to financial gifts.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 10, 2025
After two years, students who entered the program having already fulfilled all of their general education prerequisites graduate with an associate’s of science degree in animal care and training.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2025
Again and again, people with access to the prerequisites for food production, and with a location favoring diffusion of technology from elsewhere, replaced peoples lacking these advantages.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
