prior

1 of 2

adjective

pri·​or ˈprī(-ə)r How to pronounce prior (audio)
Synonyms of priornext
1
: earlier in time or order
2
: taking precedence (as in importance)
priorly adverb

prior

2 of 2

noun

plural priors
1
a
: the superior ranking next to the abbot of a monastery
b
: the superior of a house or group of houses of any of various religious communities
2
US law enforcement, informal : a previous instance of arrest or conviction for a crime
He had been told that burglary, like auto theft, rarely drew a state prison term, unless you had lots of priors.—Joseph Wambaugh

Synonyms

Adjective

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for prior

preceding, antecedent, foregoing, previous, prior, former, anterior mean being before.

preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

Examples of prior in a Sentence

Adjective Do you have a prior history of back problems? The job requires prior experience in advertising. The defendant had a prior record of convictions. I'm sorry, but we have a prior commitment and can't come tonight. We have a prior claim to the estate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
According to the complaint, a gun found inside the vehicle belonged to the Waukesha sheriff's deputy from the prior vehicle theft. —Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024 President-elect Trump's selection of Mehmet Oz, or Dr. Oz., to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services puts a celebrity physician with no prior experience in government in line to run the nation's biggest health insurance programs. —Maya Goldman, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
The suspect, Gary Worthy, 57, is on lifetime parole for firearms possession and has 17 priors that include murder, robbery, burglary and narcotics possession according to the NYPD. —Christina Shaw, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024 Greene’s priors include Beautiful Digital, Crowdsurf and TikTok. —Marc Schneider, Billboard, 3 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for prior 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin, former, superior; akin to Latin priscus ancient, prae before — more at for

Noun

Middle English, from Old English & Anglo-French; both from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin, administrator, from Latin, former, superior

First Known Use

Adjective

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of prior was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing prior

Dictionary Entries Near prior

prionus

prior

Prior

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Prior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

prior

1 of 2 noun
pri·​or ˈprī(-ə)r How to pronounce prior (audio)
: a monk who is head of a priory

prior

2 of 2 adjective
1
: earlier in time or order : previous
better than in prior years
without prior warning
2
: being more important than something else : having priority
has a prior claim to our attention

Legal Definition

prior

adjective
pri·​or
ˈprī-ər
1
: earlier in time or order
2
: taking precedence (as in importance)
a prior lien

Biographical Definition

Prior

biographical name

ˈprī(-ə)r How to pronounce Prior (audio)
Matthew 1664–1721 English poet

More from Merriam-Webster on prior

Nglish: Translation of prior for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of prior for Arabic Speakers

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