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prefabricate (v.)[prefabricate 词源字典]: 1919 (implied in prefabricated), from pre- + fabricate (v.). Related: Prefabricating.[prefabricate etymology, prefabricate origin, 英语词源]
preface (n.): late 14c., from Old French preface "opening part of sung devotions" (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prefatia, from Latin praefationem (nominative praefatio) "fore-speaking, introduction," in Medieval Latin "prologue," noun of action from past participle stem of praefari "to say beforehand," from prae "before" (see pre-) + fari "speak" (see fame (n.)).
preface (v.): 1610s, from preface (n.). Related: Prefaced; prefacing.
prefatory (adj.): 1670s, from Latin praefat-, past participle stem of praefari (see preface (n.)) + -ory.
prefect (n.): mid-14c., "civil or military official," from Old French prefect (12c., Modern French préfet) and directly from Latin praefectus "public overseer, superintendent, director," noun use of past participle of praeficere "to put in front, to set over, put in authority," from prae "in front, before" (see pre-) + root of facere (past participle factus) "to perform" (see factitious). Spelling restored from Middle English prefet. Meaning "administrative head of the Paris police" is from 1800; meaning "senior pupil designated to keep order in an English school" is from 1864. Related: Prefectorial.
prefectural (adj.): 1807, from prefecture + -al (1).
prefecture (n.): "administrative district of a prefect," mid-15c., from Middle French préfecture and directly from Latin praefectura, or assembled locally from prefect + -ure.
prefer (v.): late 14c., "to put forward or advance in rank or fortune, to promote," from Old French preferer (14c.) and directly from Latin praeferre "place or set before, carry in front," from prae "before" (see pre-) + ferre "to carry, to place" (see infer). Meaning "to esteem (something) more than others" also is recorded from late 14c. Original sense in English is preserved in preferment.
preferable (adj.): 1640s, from or on model of French préférable, from préfér (see prefer). OED notes preferrable is better English but has not prevailed. Related: Preferably.
preference (n.): mid-15c., "advancement in position or status;" 1650s as "act of prefering," from Middle French preference (14c., Modern French préférence), from Medieval Latin preferentia, from past participle stem of Latin praeferrere (see prefer). Sense of "that which one prefers" is from 1852.
preferential (adj.): 1805, from Medieval Latin preferentia, from Latin praeferre (see prefer) + -al (1).
preferment (n.): mid-15c., from prefer + -ment.
prefiguration (n.): late 14c., from Late Latin praefigurationem (nominative praefiguratio), noun of action from past participle stem of praefigurare "to prefigure" (see prefigure).
prefigure (v.): early 15c., from Late Latin praefigurare "to prefigure," from Latin prae "before" (see pre-) + figurare "to form, shape," from figura "a shape, form, figure" (see figure (n.)). Related: Prefigured; prefiguring.
prefix (n.): 1640s, from Latin praefixum, noun use of neuter past participle of praefigere "fix in front, fasten on before," from prae "before" (see pre-) + root of figere "to fasten, fix" (see fix (v.)).
prefix (v.): early 15c., "appoint beforehand," from Middle French prefixer, from pre- (see pre-) + fixer (see fix (v.)). Meaning "to place at the beginning" is from 1530s; of words or parts of words from c. 1600. Related: Prefixed; prefixing.
preflight (adj.): also pre-flight, 1918 with reference to aviation, from pre- + flight (n.).
preformed (adj.): c. 1600, from Latin praeformare or else from pre- + formed (see form (v.)). Of plastic and synthetic products, from 1918.
preggers (adj.): 1942, from pregnant (adj.1).
preggo (adj.): Australian slang, 1951, from pregnant (adj.1).