- to represent or suggest in advance
- to imagine or consider beforehand
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pre•fig•ure /priˈfɪgyɚ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -ured, -ur•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to show or represent (something) beforehand by something similar:The duel between the evil emperor and his trusted knight in the movie prefigures the battle between the hero and villain at the end.
pre•fig•ure
(prē fig′yər),USA pronunciation v.t., -ured, -ur•ing.
pre•fig•ur•a•tive
(prē fig′yər ə tiv),USA pronunciation adj.
pre•fig′ur•a•tive•ly, adv.
pre•fig′ur•a•tive•ness, n.
pre•fig′ure•ment, n.
- to show or represent beforehand by a figure or type; foreshadow.
- to picture or represent to oneself beforehand;
imagine.
- Late Latin praefigūrāre. See pre-, figure (verb, verbal)
- late Middle English 1400–50
pre•fig′ur•a•tive•ness, n.
pre•fig′ure•ment, n.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
prefigure /priːˈfɪɡə/, prefigurate /priːˈfɪɡjʊˌreɪt/ vb (transitive)
'prefigure' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):