prequel

noun

pre·​quel ˈprē-kwəl 

: a work (such as a novel or a play) whose story precedes that of an earlier work

… the real payoff will be for the next Star Wars, an expected prequel to the previous three movies.

—Laurence Hooper

Examples of prequel in a Sentence

His next film will be a prequel to last year's hit movie.

Recent Examples on the Web

While a release date has not been announced, two prequels were shot back to back – Cold War 1994 and Cold War 1995 – and are currently in post-production. —Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026

It’s perfectly suited for expansion through spinoffs, sequels and prequels. —Courtney Howard, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026

Prior to joining One Piece, Rob Colletti appeared on the Disney Channel series Just Roll With It (2019–2021) and David Chase's Sopranos prequel, The Many Saints of Newark (2021). —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026

And there is Blood of My Blood, an Outlander prequel that premiered last year in a bid to keep the show’s fans from cancelling their subscriptions after the finale airs. —Ellie Austin, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

pre- + -quel (as in sequel)

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prequel

• equal
• sequel
• coequal
• subequal
• unequal