prenex

P3R1E1N1E1X8
US/ˈpɹi.nɛks/

adjective

Of a formula, having all of its quantifiers at the beginning.

“∀x.∃y. is the prenex of the formula ∀x.∃y.P(x,y)”

OriginLate Latin praenexus ← Latin prae- →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

adjectiveprenex (not comparable)
  1. not comparablehuman sciencesOf a formula, having all of its quantifiers at the beginning.

    "We say that #92;phi is universal iff it can be written in prenex form — i.e. with all quantifiers at the beginning — using only universal quantifiers."

    1999, Neil Immerman, Descriptive Complexity, New York: Springer-Verlag, →ISBN, page 12
nounprenex (plural prenexes)

plural prenexes

  1. human sciencesThe initial part of a prenex formula where all of the formula's bound variables are bound by logical quantifiers.

    ∀x.∃y. is the prenex of the formula ∀x.∃y.P(x,y)

Origin

  1. Latinprae-“before”
  2. Late Latinpraenexus“bound up in front”
  3. Englishprenex

Borrowed from Late Latin praenexus (“bound up in front”), from Latin prae- (“before”) and nexus, past participle of nectō (“to bind”).

More words from Late Latin, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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