WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pre•vi•ous /ˈpriviəs/USA pronunciation
adj. [before a noun]
pre•vi•ous•ly, adv.: He previously worked for IBM.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- occurring before something else;
prior:The previous owner of this car was a little old lady.
- Idioms previous to, before;
prior to:Previous to moving here she lived in Chicago.
pre•vi•ous•ly, adv.: He previously worked for IBM.
pre•vi•ous
(prē′vē əs),USA pronunciation adj.
pre′vi•ous•ly, adv.
pre′vi•ous•ness, n.
- coming or occurring before something else;
prior:the previous owner. - Informal Termsdone, occurring, etc., before the proper time;
premature:Aren't you a little previous with that request? - Idioms previous to, before;
prior to:Previous to moving here she lived in Chicago.
- Latin praevius going before, equivalent. to prae- pre- + vi(a) way + -us adjective, adjectival suffix
- 1615–25
pre′vi•ous•ness, n.
- 1. earlier, former, preceding, foregoing.
'previously' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
a
- above
- affair
- aforesaid
- again
- al-Qaeda
- anaphora
- Aquitaine
- article
- asylum
- autofill
- before
- bell
- brownfield
- cast
- cold
- conditioned response
- consistency
- cover
- cryoprecipitate
- daylight
- develop
- dislodge
- dry rot
- edit
- eidetic
- espy
- estoppel
- estrange
- forenamed
- 4G
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands
- gazunder
- given
- greenfield
- Havering
- Hohhot
- ibid.
- idem
- integration
- John
- lithic
- negative
- news
- occupant
- overprint
- peroration
- pick out
- poacher
- postdate