predate
UK: ˌpriːˈdeɪt | US: ˌpriːˈdeɪt
vt. to exist or occur at an earlier time than something else
vt. to assign a date earlier than the actual one (e.g., to a document)
vt. (ecology) to prey upon (less common, but valid in biological contexts)
The word "predate" combines the Latin-derived prefix "pre-" (meaning "before") with the root "date" (from Latin "data," referring to time). It originally emerged in the 17th century to describe antedating events or documents. The ecological sense (to prey upon) is a later metaphorical extension, influenced by the verb "date" (to mark time) and the idea of one event preceding another. The logic is straightforward: "pre-" establishes temporal priority, while "date" anchors the action to a specific point in time.
Some dinosaur fossils predate mammals by millions of years.
The historian discovered a letter predated to 1491, likely a forgery.
Wolves often predate on weaker members of a herd.
This manuscript predates the invention of the printing press.
The treaty was controversially predated to avoid legal complications.