What does prior mean?
Prior describes something that comes before another thing in time, order, or development. It is commonly used in formal and professional contexts, as in “prior approval,” “prior knowledge,” and “prior experience.” The expression “prior to” is a formal equivalent of “before,” particularly when introducing an event or circumstance: “Please arrive prior to the scheduled meeting.” The word can also describe an earlier holder of a position, such as a prior ruler or a predecessor to the pope. In religious usage, a prior is the head of a community or institution. Because “prior” comes directly from Latin, it has a precise, established sense of precedence and may suggest careful sequence rather than merely an unspecified earlier time. It is especially useful in legal, academic, administrative, and historical writing.
Existing or occurring before something else in time, order, or development; previous.
"The agreement requires prior approval from both departments."
This is the dominant modern use of the word.
Before, in the phrase “prior to.”
"All applications must be submitted prior to Friday."
“Prior to” is formal and common in legal, academic, and administrative writing.
A predecessor, especially a predecessor to the pope; also, the head of a religious community.
"The prior to the pope attended the ceremony."
The papal sense is established but relatively specialized; the religious-community sense is also historical or institutional.
Before or earlier in time.
"As prior noted, the schedule has changed."
Standalone use is less common in current English and can sound formal or archaic.
The plural is used when referring to multiple predecessors, especially former holders of an office.
"The museum invited several of the school's priors to the exhibition."
Prior began as a Latin comparison meaning “earlier,” giving English words such as priority and priory their shared sense of being before something else.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prior come from?
English borrowed the word from Latin prior, meaning “earlier” or “former,” which was the comparative form of prius, meaning “before.” The word entered Middle English through French and became established both as an adjective meaning “previous” and as a noun meaning a predecessor or religious superior. Its Latin ancestry also connects it with related English forms such as priority, prioritize, priorate, and priory.
Related word forms
How prior is actually used
In modern standard English, “prior” is most often an adjective or appears in the formal phrase “prior to.” Its standalone use as an adverb is relatively uncommon and can sound formal or dated. As a noun referring to a papal predecessor, it is standard mainly in historical and religious contexts.
Easily confused with prior
Prior can mean something earlier or a predecessor, whereas a priory is a religious community governed by a prior.