pre-position

verb

To position (something) ahead of time. (The objects thus positioned are usually supplies, tools, instruments, weapons, or troops.)

“She pre-positioned the surgical instruments in trays on a numbered rack.”

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Meanings

verbpre-position (third-person singular simple present pre-positions, present participle pre-positioning, simple past and past participle pre-positioned)

present singular third person pre-positions · participle present pre-positioning · participle past pre-positioned · past pre-positioned · alternative preposition

  1. transitiveTo position (something) ahead of time. (The objects thus positioned are usually supplies, tools, instruments, weapons, or troops.)

    She pre-positioned the surgical instruments in trays on a numbered rack.

    1 more example

    The officers deemed it necessary to pre-position at least three battalions in case of a breakout.

Origin

From pre- + position.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pre-position. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pre-position

MLA

“pre-position.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pre-position. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pre-position,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pre-position.

Source: pre-position on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.