previous

American  

[pree-vee-uhs] / ˈpri vi əs /

adjective

1. coming or occurring before something else; prior.

   the previous owner.

   Synonyms:

   foregoing, preceding, former

2. Informal. done, occurring, etc., before the proper time; premature.

   Aren't you a little previous with that request?

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idioms

1. previous to, before; prior to.

   Previous to moving here she lived in Chicago.

previous British  

/ ˈpriːvɪəs /

adjective

1. (prenominal) existing or coming before something else in time or position; prior

2. informal (postpositive) taking place or done too soon; premature

3. before; prior to

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Other Word Forms

• previously adverb
• previousness noun

Etymology

Origin of previous

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin praevius “going before,” equivalent to prae- pre- + vi(a) “way” + -us adjective suffix

Example Sentences

Block has laid off workers in previous years.

From Los Angeles Times

The Portuguese was dismissed on 5 January following his public attack on the club's hierarchy after a 1-1 draw at Leeds the previous day.

From BBC

She also watched YouTube videos for hours on end, noting that the platform's "autoplay" feature, where a new video starts automatically after the previous one has ended, kept her on it.

From BBC

China commissioned more than 50 new large coal plants last year, compared to about 20 a year in the previous decade.

From The Wall Street Journal

Now he is returning to direct a “Scream” entry for the first time; his only previous credit as a movie director is “Teaching Mrs. Tingle,” a 1999 flop.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• earlier
• past
• preceding