Prior — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈprī(-ə)r/ pri·or

Meaning & Definition of Prior

Prior (adjective)

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

Prior (noun)

  1. the superior ranking next to the abbot of a monastery
  2. the superior of a house or group of houses of any of various religious communities
  3. a previous instance of arrest or conviction for a crime

Prior (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. coming before all others in importance

    "this assignment will be prior to any other work you may have"

    similar: arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, sovereign, supreme
    related: distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned
    opposite: last, least
    near: inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary

  2. going before another in time or order

    "we've made prior arrangements"

    similar: antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous
    related: advance, early, premature, earliest, first, inaugural, initial, maiden, original, pioneer, preexisting, introductory, preliminary, erstwhile, whilom
    opposite: after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding
    near: advanced, late, closing, concluding, final, last, latest, latter, terminal, ultimate

Related Entry: Prior to (preposition)

Prior to is a different word from Prior. The synonyms below are for prior to, not for prior.

  1. earlier than

    "make sure all revisions are approved by the author prior to publication"

    similar: afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, fore (chiefly dialect), of, previous to, to, in advance of
    related: till, until, up to
    opposite: after, following
    near: next, next to, since

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Prior

The most common words with a similar meaning to Prior:

arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, sovereign, supreme, antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Prior

Words with the opposite meaning of Prior:

last, least, after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding

Related Words for Prior

distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned

Near Antonyms of Prior

inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary, advanced, late, closing, concluding, final, latest, latter, terminal, ultimate

Word Forms of Prior

Inflections: priors

Derived words: priorly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Prior

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

First known use: 1607

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Prior

Words & Phrases Containing Prior

prior art, prior restraint, prior to, without prior notice

Frequently Asked Questions about Prior

What does "Prior" mean?

"Prior" means earlier in time or order. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: earlier in time or order. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Prior"?

Other words for "Prior" include arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant and first. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Prior" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Prior"?

There are 82 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Prior". Common alternatives include arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost and grand.

What is the opposite of "Prior"?

Antonyms of "Prior" include last, least, after, ensuing, following, later, posterior and subsequent. Near antonyms include inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant and minor.

How do you use "Prior" in a sentence?

Examples of "Prior" in a sentence: "this assignment will be prior to any other work you may have"; "we've made prior arrangements".

Is "Prior" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Prior" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Prior" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Prior" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Prior"?

"Prior" is pronounced /ˈprī(-ə)r/ and divided into syllables as pri·or.