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.
A fictional backstory of patriarch SP Chopra’s extended family’s demise, “The Complex” dissolves many of Mahajan’s — an associate professor of literary arts at Brown University — previous literary touchstones, ranging from musical inspiration to cinematic immersion.
From Los Angeles Times
He also tells them about his live stream the previous night.
From BBC
The government has been highly critical of decisions taken by previous administrations.
From BBC
The new release zoomed past Scream 7, this year's previous biggest seller overall and also overtook Creed III in having the fastest start for a production by Amazon MGM Studios.
From BBC
"The previous results are quite promising in the preclinical context, but comprehensive pharmacological development, toxicological experiments, and clinical studies are needed to realize a possible application in humans," he says.
From Science Daily
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.
