preprandial (adj.)
also pre-prandial, "before a meal," 1822, in a letter from Lamb to Coleridge, from pre- "before" + Latin prandium "luncheon" (see postprandial).
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also post-prandial, 1820 (Coleridge), "happening, said, done, etc. after dinner," from post- "after" + Latin prandium "luncheon" (usually bread, fish, or cold meat, taken around noon), from *pram "early" (from PIE *pre-, variant of root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before, first") + edere "to eat" (from PIE root *ed- "to eat") + -al (1). "Chiefly humorous" [OED].
word-forming element meaning "before," from Old French pre- and Medieval Latin pre-, both from Latin prae (adverb and preposition) "before in time or place," from PIE *peri- (source also of Oscan prai, Umbrian pre, Sanskrit pare "thereupon," Greek parai "at," Gaulish are- "at, before," Lithuanian prie "at," Old Church Slavonic pri "at," Gothic faura, Old English fore "before"), extended form of root *per- (1) "forward," hence "beyond, in front of, before."
The Latin word was active in forming verbs. Also see prae-. Sometimes in Middle English muddled with words in pro- or per-.
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updated on October 20, 2020
Dictionary entries near preprandial
prepossess
prepossessing
prepossession
preposterous
preppie
preprandial
preprint
preprocess
preprogram
prepubescent
prepublication