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
- 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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The EPA’s proposed approach is narrower than soil-testing efforts for previous fires in California.
From Los Angeles Times
Charities and campaigners welcomed the changes, which came into force two years after receiving backing from the previous government in April 2024.
From BBC
The company said those satellites are lighter and more reliable and provide better service than the previous generation.
From MarketWatch
Airbus said Monday it delivered 793 commercial aircraft in 2025, a slight increase from the previous year but falling short of its initial ambitions due to a manufacturing problem.
From Barron's
Five previous rounds of talks last spring ended after the U.S. joined Israel in bombing three of its main nuclear sites.
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.
