Meaning & use
predate
To exist or happen at an earlier time than something else, coming before it chronologically.
See it in a sentence
The stone bridge predates the town's founding by nearly two hundred years.
This manuscript predates the printing press, so every copy was written by hand.
A note on using this word
Predate meaning 'to come before in time' is distinct from predate meaning 'to hunt for food,' as in owls predate mice.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. verb
To hunt and kill another animal for food.
Large hawks predate small rodents in the open fields near the farm.
Make it your own
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