preparation

American  

[prep-uh-ray-shuhn] / ˌprɛp əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

• preparations
  plural

1. a proceeding, measure, or provision by which one prepares for something.

   preparations for a journey.

2. any proceeding, experience, or the like considered as a mode of preparing for the future.

3. an act of preparing.

4. the state of being prepared.

5. something prepared, manufactured, or compounded.

   a special preparation for sunbathers.

6. a specimen, as an animal body, prepared for scientific examination, dissection, etc.

7. Music.

   1. the preparing of a dissonance, by introducing the dissonant tone as a consonant tone in the preceding chord.

   2. the tone so introduced.

8. New Testament. the day before the Sabbath or a feast day.

9. British. work done by students in preparation for class; homework.

10. the Preparation, the introductory prayers of the Mass or other divine service.

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preparation British  

/ ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of preparing

2. the state of being prepared; readiness

3. (often plural) a measure done in order to prepare for something; provision

   to make preparations for something

4. something that is prepared, esp a medicinal formulation

5. 1. homework

   2. Usually shortened to: prep. the period reserved for this

6. music

   1. the anticipation of a dissonance so that the note producing it in one chord is first heard in the preceding chord as a consonance

   2. a note so employed

7. (often capital) the preliminary prayers at Mass or divine service

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpreparation
  noun
• prepreparation
  noun
• self-preparation
  noun
• superpreparation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preparations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of preparation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English preparacion, from Latin praeparātiōn-, stem of praeparātiō, from praeparāt(us) “made ready beforehand” (past participle of praeparāre “to make ready beforehand”; see prepare) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Preparation is the act of preparing — getting ready, planning, training, or studying with a goal in mind. If you know pre means before, then you have a clue to the meaning of preparation. Dressing up before a date, learning your lines for a play, and attending medical school are all forms of preparation. Boot camp is preparation for soldiers. Rehearsal is preparation for actors. In cooking a huge meal, you have to do a lot of preparation before actually beginning to cook. If you fail a test, you clearly need to do more preparation next time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preparation preparations

In one experiment, transferring microbiota from mice that received a mulberry preparation to other animals was associated with improvements in some metabolic disturbances.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

When it comes to preparation of venues, LA28 has estimated it will spend $1.4 billion to create 49 competition locations, spread across Southern California and Oklahoma City.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

It said the grant from Jersey Community Foundation covered the charge to the government of Jersey's health and community services, which supply and facilitate the preparation of the meals.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

For iced-coffee critics, the problem is what the beverage signals: casualness, poor preparation and bad time management.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

These schools were teacher preparation courses, usually with access to model schools where teachers in training could observe and practice teach.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Some of the most intriguing findings came from experiments involving more complex mulberry preparations.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

The review found that preparations made from both mulberry leaves and fruit may affect the composition and activity of the gut microbiota.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

Fairford has been used by the U.S. military going back to preparations for D-Day in 1944.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

"The final preparations are all on track and progressing smoothly ahead of what promises to be the most spectacular Asian Games held for generations," their statement read.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Ophie followed the rest of the household staff as they went to the kitchen to finalize preparations for the evening meal.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• education
• establishment
• formation
• groundwork
• measure
• plan
• precaution
• preparedness
• qualification
• rehearsal
• study
• training