ere

[air] /ɛər/

preposition, conjunction

Origin

before 900; Middle English; Old English ǣr, ēr (cognate with German ehr), comparative of ār soon, early; cognate with Gothic air. See erst, early

Can be confused

air, e'er, ere, err, heir.

Examples from the web for ere

ere the lapse of many weeks, perhaps days, the skating season will be inaugurated.
The names of the vessels are not given, but it is probable that you have them ere this.
The messages in the first three w ere pretty easy, but the fourth threw a few of you.
He must, in fact, calculate on experiencing many such ere his exertions are crowned with triumph.
H ere, surely, was the zenith of the property-owning democracy.
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart.
The use of ere with a gerund is particularly to be avoided.
ere the last snow-drift melts your tender buds have blown.

British Dictionary definitions for ere

ere

/ɛə/

conjunction, preposition

a poetic word for before

Word Origin

Old English ǣr; related to Old Norse ār early, Gothic airis earlier, Old High German ēr earlier, Greek eri early

Word Origin and History for ere

prep.

c.1200, from Old English ær (adv., conj., & prep.) "soon, before (in time)," from Proto-Germanic *airiz, comparative of *air "early" (cf. Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old High German er, Dutch eer; German eher "earlier;" Old Norse ar "early;" Gothic air "early," airis "earlier"), from PIE *ayer- "day, morning" (cf. Avestan ayar "day;" Greek eerios "at daybreak," ariston "breakfast"). The adverb erstwhile retains the Old English superlative ærest "earliest."