prior

Meaning

Adj

1. Coming before in order or time; earlier, former, previous.
2. More important or significant.
3. Chiefly in prior probability: of the probability of an event: determined without knowledge of the occurrence of other events that bear on it, before additional data is collected.

Adv

Chiefly followed by to: in advance, before, previously.

Noun

1. A prior probability distribution, that is, one determined without knowledge of the occurrence of other events that bear on it, before additional data is collected.
2. A prior probability distribution, that is, one determined without knowledge of the occurrence of other events that bear on it, before additional data is collected.
3. A previous arrest or criminal conviction on someone's criminal record.

Noun

1. A high-ranking member of a religious house or religious order.
2. A high-ranking member of a religious house or religious order.
3. A high-ranking member of a religious house or religious order.
4. A high-ranking member of a religious house or religious order.
5. A high-ranking member of a religious house or religious order.
6. A chief magistrate of the Republic of Florence (1115–1569) in what is now Italy.
7. The elected head of a guild of craftsmen or merchants in some countries in Europe and South America.
8. (obsolete) A person who is the earliest or most prominent in a field; the chief.
9. (obsolete) The head of a company.

Synonyms

previous

former

earlier

preceding

before

antecedent

anterior

abbot

first

1st

last

beforehand

preliminary

previously

superior

old

🧓

advance

long ago

forward

prelate

preparatory

beginning

ahead of time

late

precursory

advanced

past

preferred

prerequisite

previous to

primitive

priority

probably

providing

provisional

quondam

so

some time ago

sooner

syne

thus

ex-

olden days

toforehand

back

🔙

father superior

afore

ago

already

antecedently

as

better

exploratory

faster

first class

firstly

fore

foregoing

formerly

in advance

in front of

initial

might

more likely

more probable

onetime

one-time

or

precede

precedent

predecessor

Hyphenated as

pri‧or

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpɹaɪ.ə/

Etymology

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Latin prior (“earlier, former, previous, prior; in front; (figurative) better, superior”), from Proto-Italic *priōs (“earlier, previous”, literally “more before”), ultimately from *pri (“before”) (from Proto-Indo-European *pró (“leading to, toward”) and its etymon *per- (“before, in front; first”)) + *-jōs (suffix forming comparative adjectives). Doublet of before, fore, and former.
The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective.

Sentences

Led by a prior , Bolton Abbey was technically a priory , despite its name .