predate

[pree-deyt] /ˈpriˈdeɪt/
verb (used with object), predated, predating.
1.
to date before the actual time; antedate:
He predated the check by three days.
2.
to precede in date:
a house that predates the Civil War.
Origin
1860-65; pre- + date1
Can be confused
antedate, predate, postdate.
Examples from the web for predate
  • Some objectionable textbooks predate the party's accession to power.
  • Battery-powered automobiles predate the use of internal combustion engines.
  • Many of the island's trails predate the park, having served as connectors between some of the roadless villages.
  • However, many of the problems he describes predate the information era.
  • In some cases, the spills date back to previous owners and predate environmental regulations.
  • We already have one, and the characters there mostly predate the attraction.
British Dictionary definitions for predate

predate

/priːˈdeɪt/
verb (transitive)
1.
to affix a date to (a document, paper, etc) that is earlier than the actual date
2.
to assign a date to (an event, period, etc) that is earlier than the actual or previously assigned date of occurrence
3.
to be or occur at an earlier date than; precede in time
Word Origin and History for predate
v.

"to seek prey," 1974, a back-formation from predator, etc. Related: Predated; predating. For the word meaning "antedate; pre-exist," see pre-date.