preform

1 of 2

verb

pre·​form ˈprē-ˌfȯrm How to pronounce preform (audio)
(ˌ)prē-ˈfȯrm
preformed; preforming; preforms

transitive verb

1
: to form or shape beforehand
2
: to bring to approximate preliminary shape and size

preform

2 of 2

noun

pre·​form ˈprē-ˌfȯrm How to pronounce preform (audio)
plural preforms
: any of various objects of manufacture or handicraft after preliminary shaping: such as
a
: a rough gemstone that has been cut to approximately its finished size and shape
b
: a tube produced for the purpose of being molded into a particular form (such as a bottle)

Examples of preform in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Per the Times-Picayune, Harry Sr. was musically inclined like his Grammy-winning son and occasionally preformed in New Orleans jazz clubs. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024 One downside is that the concrete must be preformed and cannot be poured and set on site. IEEE Spectrum, 8 May 2023 For example, feelings related to fear, such as horror or terror, are cognitively assembled conceptions of one’s situation, rather than preformed, innate mental states inherited from animals. Dean Mobbs, Scientific American, 20 Sep. 2019 But the Hunter for Target line is mass-produced in a factory, using a preformed mold. Abha Bhattarai, chicagotribune.com, 16 Apr. 2018
Noun
After watching Michigan’s Marching Band preform a few selections inside the the Capitol One Fan Zone, Kelly’s face was awash in nostalgia. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Inside the facility, a rotary forge turns red-hot preform hunks of steel and alloy, using mechanical hammers to draw out precise shapes and contours. Hope Hodge Seck, Popular Mechanics, 21 Aug. 2023 In a nutshell, researchers placed hundreds of square silicon microscale digital chips into a preform that created a polymer fiber. Eric Tegler, Forbes, 17 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preform.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin praeformare, from prae- + formare to form, from forma form

First Known Use

Verb

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preform was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near preform

Cite this Entry

“Preform.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preform. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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