prior
UK: ˈpraɪə | US: ˈpraɪər
adj. earlier in time or order
adj. more important; taking precedence
n. a high-ranking member of a monastic order
The word prior originates from Latin prior, the comparative form of prae ("before"). It originally denoted temporal or hierarchical precedence (e.g., "earlier in time" or "of higher rank"). In Medieval Latin, it was adopted into ecclesiastical titles (e.g., prior as a monastic rank), reflecting its dual sense of temporal and authoritative priority. The English usage retains both the temporal ("earlier") and hierarchical ("more important") meanings.
The prior agreement must be honored before discussing new terms.
Health concerns take prior importance over other issues.
He served as the prior of the monastery for a decade.
Prior experience in coding is required for this job.
The team addressed the prior mistakes to avoid future errors.