Meaning & use
prerequisite
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Meanings
nouncountable
Something that must exist or be done before something else can happen or be possible.
Grammar: Often followed by 'for' or 'to': a prerequisite for success; a prerequisite to success.
Patterns
- a prerequisite for something
- a prerequisite to something
- meet a prerequisite
- a prerequisite for doing something
A basic knowledge of math is a prerequisite for this physics course.
Trust is a prerequisite for any close friendship.
The company lists a valid driver's license as a prerequisite for the job.
adjectivebefore a noun
Required as a condition before something else can happen or be done.
Grammar: Used before a noun: prerequisite courses; prerequisite skills.
Patterns
- prerequisite course
- prerequisite condition
Students must complete the prerequisite courses before they can register for the advanced class.
The prerequisite conditions for the experiment include a sterile environment.
Word forms
| plural | prerequisites |
|---|
Common combinations
- a prerequisite for
- Good communication is a prerequisite for effective teamwork.
- meet the prerequisites
- She didn't meet the prerequisites for the program, so she took an extra class.
- prerequisite course
- Biology 101 is a prerequisite course for the nursing program.
- essential prerequisite
- Patience is an essential prerequisite for teaching young children.
Synonyms and how they differ
- requirement
- A more general word for something needed; a prerequisite is specifically needed before something else starts.
- condition
- Often used in the phrase 'a condition for'; it can mean a rule or situation that must exist, but not always before something else.
- precondition
- Very close, but more formal and often used in technical or legal contexts.
Opposites
Word family
- prerequisite adjective
- Required beforehand, as in prerequisite courses.
Commonly confused: prerequisite or perquisite?
prerequisite vs perquisite
A perquisite (often shortened to 'perk') is a special benefit from a job, not something required beforehand. They sound similar but mean very different things.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'prerequisite' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Prerequisite' is a noun meaning something required beforehand, so 'a high school diploma is a prerequisite for this job' is correct. The other options use it as a verb or with a wrong meaning; the word is not a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “prerequisite”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.