preprint

P3R1E1P3R1I1N1T1

noun

A preliminary form of an academic paper that has not yet been published in a journal.

OriginEnglish print ← Middle English pre- ← Latin prae- →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounpreprint (plural preprints)

plural preprints

  1. A preliminary form of an academic paper that has not yet been published in a journal.
verbpreprint (third-person singular simple present preprints, present participle preprinting, simple past and past participle preprinted)

present singular third person preprints · participle present preprinting · participle past preprinted · past preprinted · alternative pre-print

  1. transitiveTo print in advance.

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. Englishprint
  10. Englishpreprint

From pre- + print.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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