predate — to exist or happen at a date earlier than something else
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to exist or happen at a date earlier than something else
Pronunciation (IPA): /priːˈdeɪt/
Example Sentences
- The rules of this ancient temple predate the country's entire legal system.
- My grandma's grudge against her neighbor predates my own birth by twenty years!
- In the civil service exam, you'll often see questions about laws that predate the Constitution.
predate
VERB[/priːˈdeɪt/]
to exist or happen at a date earlier than something else
Fossils show that dinosaurs predate humans by millions of years.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word combines the Latin prefix 'prae-' (before) with 'date', which derives from Latin 'datus' (given). The term 'date' originated from the medieval practice of writing the given date on letters and documents. Thus 'predate' literally means 'to give a date before' and evolved to mean 'to exist or occur earlier in time than'.
Breakdown
pre- (before, earlier) + date (from Latin datus, meaning 'given', referring to a point in time). The prefix and root combine to express precedence in temporal order.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The rules of this ancient temple predate the country's entire legal system.”
“My grandma's grudge against her neighbor predates my own birth by twenty years!”
“In the civil service exam, you'll often see questions about laws that predate the Constitution.”
“Scientists confirmed that these fossils predate the dinosaurs by millions of years.”
“He claims his love for pizza predates his ability to walk—probably true, honestly.”
📚Related Words
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