prerequisite

[pri-rek-wuh-zit, pree-]

adjective

1. required beforehand.

   a prerequisite fund of knowledge.

noun

1. something prerequisite.

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

   Synonyms: precondition, essential, requisite, requirement

prerequisite

/ priːˈrɛkwɪzɪt /

adjective

1. required as a prior condition

noun

1. something required as a prior condition

Word History and Origins

Origin of prerequisite¹

First recorded in 1625–35; pre- + requisite

Example Sentences

Familiarity with or even interest in metal and its subgenres is not a prerequisite; these are human stories, involving enough on their own.

From Los Angeles Times

California law requires city and county governments to declare a local emergency within 10 days of a disaster as a prerequisite for requesting state or federal assistance.

From Los Angeles Times

The move was widely seen as a prerequisite for Skydance to win FCC approval and push the Paramount-Skydance merger over the finish line.

From Los Angeles Times

Moreover, it removed fandom as a prerequisite to entry.

From Salon

Meanwhile, Paramount’s board faced withering pressure, with a settlement widely seen as a prerequisite for getting government approval for the company’s $8-billion sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media, or the deal would collapse.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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