pre-existent
6.8
Present before something else happened
- adjective
- /priː ɪɡˈzɪstənt/
:
preexistente
- He speaks about the immaterial, pre existent soul who flies around until she at last settles on the solid ground.
Examples
-
The concept of a pre-existent universe challenges traditional views of creation.
-
The ancient texts refer to a pre-existent state of the world before the advent of modern civilization.
-
In philosophy, many argue that ideas can have a pre-existent form before being fully developed.
Synonyms
previous
vspre-existent
∞
1.0
Happening before now or before another event
refers specifically to existing earlier than another thing or event
prior
vspre-existent
752
2.9
Happening before something else in time
is more about existing beforehand rather than simply earlier occurrence
preexisting
vspre-existent
22
4.1
Already present before something else happens, like a health condition
is the same meaning but often written with a hyphen in older usage
preexistent
vspre-existent
1
7.6
Present before something else happens
has the same meaning but varies mainly in spelling or style
pre-existing
vspre-existent
4.1
Already there before a given time or event
means the same but often appears as one word in modern writing
preceding
vspre-existent
3.2
Coming before something in time or order
emphasizes prior existence rather than sequence or placement
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word pre-existent comes from the prefix pre- ('before'), as in preheat, and exist ('to be'). So something pre-existent is 'already there' or 'existed earlier' before something else.