predate

Plural: predates

Verb

Verb Forms: predated, predating, predates

• To occur or exist at an earlier date than something else.
• be earlier in time; go back further
• come before
• prey on or hunt for
  • "These mammals predate certain eggs"
• establish something as being earlier relative to something else
• To designate a date earlier than the actual one; to move a date, appointment, event, or period of time to an earlier point (contrast "postdate".)
• To exist or to occur before something else; to antedate.
• To prey upon something.

Noun

• A publication, such as a newspaper or magazine, that is issued with a printed date later than the date of issue.

Examples

• The Chinese use of Pascal's Triangle predates its discovery by Blaise Pascal.
• The opponent’s winning play seemed to predate any chance I had to catch up.

Synonyms

antecede, antedate, foredate, forego, forgo, precede, prey, raven, backdate, predate, preexist

Antonyms

postdate, overdate

Related Words

depredation, predation, predator, predatory