preexistence

P3R1E1E1X8I1S1T1E1N1C3E1

noun

The condition of having existed prior to the current time.

OriginEnglish existence ← Middle English pre- ← Latin prae- →
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

nounpreexistence (countable and uncountable, plural preexistences)

plural preexistences · alternative obsolete præ-existence · alternative obsolete præexistence · alternative obsolete præ-existency · alternative obsolete præexistency · alternative obsolete pre-existency · alternative obsolete preexistency · alternative pre-existence · alternative uncommon preëxistence

  1. countableuncountableThe condition of having existed prior to the current time.
  2. countableuncountableThe existence of a soul in a previous embodiment.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*préh₂i?
  4. Proto-Italic*prai
  5. Proto-Italic*prai-
  6. Latinprae-
  7. Middle Englishpre-
  8. Englishpre-
  9. Englishexistence
  10. Englishpreexistence

From pre- + existence.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan preexistència
  • preexistènciacondition of having existed prior
French préexistence
  • préexistencecondition of having existed prior
Italian preesistenza
  • preesistenzacondition of having existed prior
Portuguese pré-existência
  • pré-existênciacondition of having existed prior
Spanish preexistencia
  • preexistenciacondition of having existed prior
Cite this entry
APA

preexistence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preexistence

MLA

“preexistence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preexistence. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “preexistence,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preexistence.

Source: preexistence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.