prerequisite

noun

pre·​req·​ui·​site (ˌ)prē-ˈre-kwə-zət 

: something that is necessary to an end or to the carrying out of a function

prerequisite adjective

Did you know?

Prerequisite is partly based on requirere, the Latin verb meaning "to need or require". So a prerequisite can be anything that must be accomplished or acquired before something else can be done. Possessing a valid credit card is a prerequisite for renting a car. A physical exam may be a prerequisite for receiving a life-insurance policy. And successful completion of an introductory course is often a prerequisite for enrolling in a higher-level course.

Examples of prerequisite in a Sentence

Future greatness does not always inspire popularity. Coolness, in the high-school or hip sense of the word, is not a prerequisite for leadership. —Evan Thomas, Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2004

… opposition to the totalitarian threat was the prerequisite for membership in American liberalism because communism was the defining moral challenge of the age. —Peter Beinart, New Republic, 13 Dec. 2004

But old-school Andy lacks a skill that may soon be a prerequisite for 21st-century detective work: knowing how to glean secrets from a suspect's hard drive. —Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002

Recent Examples on the Web

If your aim is to advance within your current industry or transition to a new one where an MBA is a prerequisite, the degree can be a valuable asset. —Cicely Jones, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Moscow insists that Kyiv's acceptance of these territorial losses is a prerequisite for peace negotiations—a stance that Ukraine has categorically rejected. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024

What's next: Massachusetts leaders are exploring how to address barriers to education, from child care and transportation costs to confusion around what classes cover prerequisites when students transfer to a four-year public college. —Steph Solis, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024

Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, the historical legislation outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests and poll taxes as a prerequisite to voting. —Maya Homan, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

prerequisite

noun

pre·​req·​ui·​site (ˈ)prē-ˈrek-wə-zət 

: something required beforehand or necessary as preparation for something else

the course is a prerequisite for advanced study

prerequisite adjective