prerequisite

American  

[pri-rek-wuh-zit, pree-] / prɪˈrɛk wə zɪt, pri- /

adjective

1. required beforehand.

   a prerequisite fund of knowledge.

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noun

• prerequisites
  plural

1. something prerequisite.

   A visa is still a prerequisite for travel in many countries.

   Synonyms:

   precondition, essential, requisite, requirement

prerequisite British  

/ priːˈrɛkwɪzɪt /

adjective

1. required as a prior condition

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noun

1. something required as a prior condition

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• prerequisites
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of prerequisite

First recorded in 1625–35; pre- + requisite

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Compare meaning

How does prerequisite compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• requisite vs. prerequisite

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prerequisite prerequisites

“It showed that, if you establish the prerequisite conditions, you can restore heavy vehicle movement on the battlefield,” Barros said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026

China Media Group had earlier demanded apologies from the three parties, calling them "an absolute prerequisite" for moving past the incident.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Zacharia, 41, is already under scrutiny over her legal credentials, after giving an inconclusive answer about where she had passed the bar exam, a prerequisite for practicing law in the United States.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The optimist in me loves the idea that a food bank provides financial education, even if it was a prerequisite to avail of its services.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 26, 2026

A degree in English language is not a prerequisite for caring about where a bracket is preferred to a dash, or a comma needs to be replaced by a semicolon.

From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author

Then proceed to more athletic plyometrics, making sure to note any prerequisites for each exercise.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Such capabilities are considered essential prerequisites for the emergence of living systems.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026

Not all patients have the right size valve or other anatomical prerequisites.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 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

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

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Related Words

• essential
• must
• precondition
• qualification
• requirement
• requisite

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