adjective
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(prenominal) existing or coming before something else in time or position; prior
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informal (postpositive) taking place or done too soon; premature
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before; prior to
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of previous
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin praevius “going before,” equivalent to prae- pre- + vi(a) “way” + -us adjective suffix
Explanation
Previous means the one that just came before. For instance, the previous sentence explained the meaning of the word previous. With previous, you first see that the prefix pre meaning "before." The second part of the word, vius, — think via — means "road," so you’re talking about the road, or thing, before. Previous, though, can be used with people, or anything else too. You will know right away if the previous tenants had cats. Do you ever wonder what you were in a previous life? Rivers are at flood stage from the previous two rain storms.
Vocabulary lists containing previous
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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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.
However, previous research has often paid less attention to how different immune cell populations change over time as diabetic wounds progress through different stages of healing.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
“When it came to males, he could be a little, well, aggressive,” Gina Davis, a Pasadena schoolteacher, told The Times in a previous interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
"That's our biggest threat," explained Jama, in a flashback from the previous night's scenes in the traitors turret.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Mamdani retained Tisch, a well-regarded civil servant who also served in the previous administration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
As growing numbers of Colored people had migrated to the area over the previous decades, the importance of educating them had become increasingly clear.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
