prelay

P3R1E1L1A1Y4

verb

To record music and other sound elements at the correct time code locations on a master format without regard to final levels and mixing.

Scrabble 11

Meanings

verbprelay (third-person singular simple present prelays, present participle prelaying, simple past and past participle prelaid)

present singular third person prelays · participle present prelaying · participle past prelaid · past prelaid

  1. To record music and other sound elements at the correct time code locations on a master format without regard to final levels and mixing.

    He'll be responsible for prelaying sound effects for film and television.

    1990, The Hollywood Reporter, volume 313, numbers 18-34, page 18
    1 more example

    In this way, dialog, music and effects elements can be prelaid to hard disk or MO […]

    1995, The Mix, volume 19, numbers 7-12, page 74
nounprelay (plural prelays)

plural prelays

  1. The act of prelaying.

    If your show includes a lot of effects, for example, explosions, music, sound effects, or loud noises over romantic dialogue, then your sound-effects supervisor will probably recommend a predub or prelay.

    2002, Barbara Clark, Susan J. Spohr, Guide to Postproduction for TV and Film: Managing the Process
adjectiveprelay (not comparable)
  1. not comparableBefore a bird lays eggs.

    An optimum method for feeding calcium is to start feeding the layer level (3.25% or more) slightly before the first egg, because after hens start laying there is a negative calcium balance when consuming the prelay calcium level of 2.0%.

    2012, Donald D. Bell, William D. Weaver, Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg Production

Origin

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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