verb
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to affix a date to (a document, paper, etc) that is earlier than the actual date
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to assign a date to (an event, period, etc) that is earlier than the actual or previously assigned date of occurrence
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to be or occur at an earlier date than; precede in time
Etymology
Origin of predate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That early date has sparked debate because it predates the oldest confirmed sponge fossils by at least 100 million years.
From Science Daily
Then again, scroll through Carpenter’s many red carpet snapshots and Miss Piggy’s ever-expanding Instagram feed, and you may recognize the similarities predate the special by several years.
From Salon
But some critics say the drop could be explained by other factors, such as rising interest rates, that predate ChatGPT.
He also said the Black family had a relationship with JPMorgan “that predates Epstein’s involvement.”
The Luddite movement, which predated the Swing Riots, was led by textile workers convinced that power-operated looms would permanently impoverish the middle class.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
