Added 9 October 2026

before

/bɪˈfɔː/ preposition

In Latin: ante Wiktionary

preposition Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about before at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Earlier than (in time).
I want this done before Monday.
In front of in space.
He stood before me.
In the presence of.
He performed before the troops in North Africa.

adverb

At an earlier time.
I've never done this before.
In advance in position or sequence; ahead.
We walked behind while they went before.
At the front end.

conjunction

In advance of the time when.
Brush your teeth before you go to bed.
Rather or sooner than.
I'll die before I('ll) tell you anything about it.

noun

Of before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference before a specified treatment.
That which occurred or existed previously.
A previous form or instance.

Origin

Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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