Prior Meaning
Prior Definition & Usage
Existing or happening before a particular time or event.
Examples
- "I had a prior engagement and couldn’t attend the meeting."
- "Please review the prior emails before responding to the client."
- "She had no prior knowledge of the company’s financial troubles."
- "Prior to the meeting, we need to gather all relevant documents."
- "They lived in a prior century, where life was much slower."
Having higher importance or priority over something else.
Examples
- "The manager gave prior approval before the project could begin."
- "You need to prioritize the prior tasks before moving on to new ones."
- "Her prior experience in marketing made her the best candidate for the role."
- "The prior arrangements were made well in advance of the event."
- "The prior issue needs to be addressed before we move forward with the current one."
Cultural Context
The word 'prior' comes from Latin, where it was used to describe something that came before. Over time, it has evolved in usage across various fields such as law, business, and general conversation. It plays an important role in formal communication, indicating both time sequences and the importance of specific tasks or events.
The Meeting Before the Storm
Story
The Meeting Before the Storm
Lena had always been a stickler for punctuality, so when she received an invitation to the urgent meeting, she made sure to check her calendar immediately. The date was set for Tuesday, but prior to that, she had a series of smaller tasks to finish. Her manager, Mr. Harlow, had given prior approval to launch the new project next week, which meant she had to make sure everything was in place. As Lena reviewed her notes, she couldn’t help but remember the prior conversations she'd had with her team members. They had already discussed several ideas, but now it was time to get concrete plans together. However, when she arrived at the meeting, she was told that some of the prior documents had not been reviewed by all stakeholders, which delayed the process. Her colleague, Adam, quickly chimed in, "We can’t proceed without looking at the prior reports. It’s critical for understanding the context of our decisions." This was a common problem in their line of work – tasks stacking up, each needing to be addressed before the next one. Despite the setbacks, Lena was determined to handle things with urgency. She reminded the team that they needed to focus on the prior issues before moving forward. It wasn’t the most glamorous part of the job, but addressing the earlier problems could pave the way for future success. As the meeting wrapped up, Lena thought about the upcoming week and what was to come. She’d made sure the prior tasks were in line, but there was still a lot to be done. The manager’s words echoed in her mind, "Take care of the prior details first, then everything else will fall into place."
Related Words
