Library / English Dictionary

PREDATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Establish something as being earlier relative to something else

Synonyms:

antedate; foredate; predate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "predate" is one way to...):

chronologise; chronologize (establish the order in time of something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

postdate (establish something as being later relative to something else)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Prey on or hunt for

Example:

These mammals predate certain eggs

Synonyms:

predate; prey; raven

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "predate" is one way to...):

forage (wander and feed)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

predation (the act of preying by a predator who kills and eats the prey)

predation (an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Come before

Example:

Most English adjectives precede the noun they modify

Synonyms:

precede; predate

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "predate" is one way to...):

lie (be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be earlier in time; go back further

Example:

Stone tools precede bronze tools

Synonyms:

antecede; antedate; forego; forgo; precede; predate

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Antonym:

postdate (be later in time)

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