before

A1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

Also spelled befo and b’fo

US /bɪˈfoɹ/ UK /bɪˈfɔː/ See IPA manual

Freq #150

Meanings

1

prep
Earlier than a particular time.

I want this finished before Monday.
2

adv
At an earlier time; in the past.

I've never done this before.
3

prep
In front of someone or something in space.

He stood before me and waited.
4

prep
In the presence of someone.

She performed before a huge crowd.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 prep · earlier than a particular... prior toprevious to

2 adv · at an earlier time; in the... previously

3 prep · in front of someone or... in front ofahead of

Word family

Derived forms before-and-afterbefore-mentionedbeforecitedbeforehandbeforelybeforemathbeforementionedbeforenamedbeforenessbeforenoonbeforesaidbeforestated

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Old English foran Old English beforan Middle English bifore English before Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).

before//bifore Middle English beforan Old English *furai Proto-Germanic *per- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

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# before

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** prep, adv
**IPA (US):** /bɪˈfoɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /bɪˈfɔː/
**Frequency rank:** 150

## Meanings
1. Earlier than a particular time.
2. At an earlier time; in the past.
3. In front of someone or something in space.
4. In the presence of someone.

## Examples
- I want this finished before Monday.
- I've never done this before.
- He stood before me and waited.
- She performed before a huge crowd.

## Derived Forms
- before-and-after
- before-mentioned
- beforecited
- beforehand
- beforely
- beforemath
- beforementioned
- beforenamed
- beforeness
- beforenoon
- beforesaid
- beforestated

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: before//bifore
- Root: beforan
- Root: *furai
- Root: *per-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Old English foran Old English beforan Middle English bifore English before Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).

## AI Etymology
Before is inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”). Before's historical chain begins with Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁eps and later passes through Old English be-, Old English foran, Old English beforan, Middle English bifore, English before.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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