Link Centre Dictionary

prior

UK/ˈpɹaɪ.ə/ US/ˈpɹaɪ.(ə)ɹ/ fairly common us

adjective

1.

earlier in time

Synonyms
Similar

noun

1.

the head of a religious order; in an abbey the prior is next below the abbot

Origin

From Middle English priour, prior (“head or deputy head of a monastery or other religious house; predecessor; superior”), from Old English prior, from Anglo-Norman priour, prior, priur, and Old French prior, priur (modern French prieur), and directly from their etymon Latin prior (“ancestor; predecessor”) (whence Late Latin prior (“superior of a religious house or order; abbot; deputy abbot; head of a guild”)), a noun use of prior (“former, previous, prior”, adjective): see etymology 1.

Phrases

  • a priori
  • alien prior
  • Ditton Priors
  • grand prior
  • great prior
  • Hurstbourne Priors
  • Jeffreys prior
  • prior art
  • prior authorization
  • prior claustral
  • prior conventual
  • prior knowledge

Related words

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.