Previous
ˈpriːviəs
Definitions
Existing or happening before another thing.
ˈpriːviəs
Existing or occurring before in time or order.
We can review the previous week's sales figures.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're watching a movie and they show you a quick recap of what happened before. That's the 'previous' part – what came before!
👶 For kids: Happening before something else, like the day before today.
More Examples
The previous chapter explained the complex process.
She apologized for her previous behavior.
How It's Used
"The previous owner of the house left it in excellent condition."
"In the previous century, many technological advancements were made."
"As discussed in the previous meeting..."
From Latin *praevius* ('going before, preceding'), from *prae-* ('before') + *via* ('way').
Previously used in legal and historical texts to indicate precedence in time or importance.
Memory tip
Think of a 'pre-' fix, meaning before, like in 'pre-school'.