pre-existing

IPA/ˌpriː ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ/
IPA/ˌpriː ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ/

pre-existing — adjective

1. already present or in place before a later event, situation, or time

1.形容詞B2
釋義

already present or in place before a later event, situation, or time

例句

The doctor noted that the patient had several pre-existing health conditions.

collocation: pre-existing + health condition / injury / debt

Min's pre-existing shoulder injury made it hard for her to swim laps.

同義詞
  • prior

    more formal, used especially in legal and contractual contexts

  • previous

    general term; does not emphasise that the thing continues to exist

  • existing

    simpler but loses the 'before' timing distinction

反義詞
  • new

    something that did not exist earlier

  • subsequent

    something that comes after, not before

文法句型

pre-existing + noun

be + pre-existing

用法筆記

Most commonly used before a noun (attributive position) with terms such as 'condition', 'injury', 'debt', or 'agreement'.

常見錯誤

❌She had a preexisting condition.
✅She had a pre-existing condition.' (if following British/formal style). ⚠️ 'preexisting' is also standard
💡Merriam-Webster uses it as the main spelling. 'Pre-existing' is more common in British and formal contexts (Cambridge, Oxford), while 'preexisting' is standard in American usage. The choice depends on your style guide, not on correctness.