prior
1[ prahy-er ]
/ ˈpraɪ ər /
adjective
preceding in time or in order; earlier or former; previous: A prior agreement prevents me from accepting this.
preceding in importance or privilege.
noun
Informal. a prior conviction.
QUIZZES
LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!
Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.
Question 1 of 13
How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?
Idioms for prior
prior to, preceding; before: Prior to that time, buffalo had roamed the Great Plains in tremendous numbers.
OTHER WORDS FROM prior
pri·or·ly, adverbDefinition for prior (2 of 3)
prior2
[ prahy-er ]
/ ˈpraɪ ər /
noun
an officer in a monastic order or religious house, sometimes next in rank below an abbot.
a chief magistrate, as in the medieval republic of Florence.
Origin of prior
2before 1100; Middle English, late Old English <Medieval Latin, Late Latin: one superior in rank; noun use of priorprior1
OTHER WORDS FROM prior
pri·or·ship, nounsub·pri·or·ship, nounDefinition for prior (3 of 3)
Prior
[ prahy-er ]
/ ˈpraɪ ər /
noun
Matthew, 1664–1721, English poet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for prior
British Dictionary definitions for prior (1 of 3)
prior1
/ (ˈpraɪə) /
adjective
(prenominal) previous; preceding
prior to before; until
noun
statistics a prior probability
Word Origin for prior
C18: from Latin: previous
British Dictionary definitions for prior (2 of 3)
prior2
/ (ˈpraɪə) /
noun
the superior of a house and community in certain religious orders
the deputy head of a monastery or abbey, ranking immediately below the abbot
(formerly) a chief magistrate in medieval Florence and other Italian republics
Word Origin for prior
C11: from Late Latin: head, from Latin (adj): previous, from Old Latin pri before
British Dictionary definitions for prior (3 of 3)
Prior
/ (ˈpraɪə) /
noun
Matthew. 1664–1721, English poet and diplomat, noted for his epigrammatic occasional verse
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012