What is a prior in English?

1 : earlier in time or order. 2 : taking precedence (as in importance) prior. noun.

How do you use prior?

Generally you should eat dinner prior to brushing your teeth. Use the adjective prior for things that exist earlier in time or that happen first in time or order. This is a formal word that is often used in legal language.

What does prior mean example?

Prior means having happened in the past. An example of prior is a criminal conviction that happened ten years ago. adjective.

What was a prior in old England?

prior (n.) “superior officer of a religious house or order,” Middle English priour, from late Old English, and directly from Medieval Latin prior “superior officer,” noun use of Latin adjective meaning “former, superior” (see prior (adj.)).

What it means prior to?

Definition of prior to : in advance of : before.

Does prior mean now?

prior adjective [before noun] (EARLIER) existing or happening before something else, or before a particular time: The class required no prior knowledge of Spanish.

Why does prior mean?

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.

How do you put prior in a sentence?

Prior sentence example

  • I’d witnessed his reaction the prior night.
  • She had received notice from Parkside’s police officer McCarthy the prior day, Tuesday, late in the afternoon.
  • Dean was reminded of his prior night’s dream.
  • He’s not anxious to resurrect any of his prior difficulties.

What is a prior in an abbey?

Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for “earlier” or “first”. Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be lower in rank than the abbey’s abbot or abbess.

What is a prior provincial?

Among the friars and Third Order Religious Sisters of the Augustinian, Carmelite and Dominican orders, the title “Prior Provincial” or Prioress Provincial is generally used. The Friars Minor, in contrast, use the title “Minister Provincial”, in line with their emphasis on living as brothers to one another.

What is a synonym of prior?

Some common synonyms of prior are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, preceding, and previous. While all these words mean “being before,” previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

Does prior mean after?

prior to, preceding; before: Prior to that time, buffalo had roamed the Great Plains in tremendous numbers.