prerequisite
noun
pre·req·ui·site
(ˌ)prē-ˈre-kwə-zət 
: something that is necessary to an end or to the carrying out of a function
Having good credit is a prerequisite to applying for a loan.
prerequisite
adjective
Did you know?
Prerequisite is partly based on requirere, the Latin verb meaning "to need or require". So a prerequisite can be anything that must be accomplished or acquired before something else can be done. Possessing a valid credit card is a prerequisite for renting a car. A physical exam may be a prerequisite for receiving a life-insurance policy. And successful completion of an introductory course is often a prerequisite for enrolling in a higher-level course.
Examples of prerequisite in a Sentence
Future greatness does not always inspire popularity. Coolness, in the high-school or hip sense of the word, is not a prerequisite for leadership.
—
Evan Thomas, Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2004
… opposition to the totalitarian threat was the prerequisite for membership in American liberalism because communism was the defining moral challenge of the age.
—Peter Beinart, New Republic, 13 Dec. 2004
But old-school Andy lacks a skill that may soon be a prerequisite for 21st-century detective work: knowing how to glean secrets from a suspect's hard drive.
—Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002
Evan Thomas, Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2004
… opposition to the totalitarian threat was the prerequisite for membership in American liberalism because communism was the defining moral challenge of the age.
—Peter Beinart, New Republic, 13 Dec. 2004
But old-school Andy lacks a skill that may soon be a prerequisite for 21st-century detective work: knowing how to glean secrets from a suspect's hard drive.
—Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002
Recent Examples on the Web
Legal training and experience are of course a functional prerequisite to leading the OAG effectively.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
The council unanimously agreed to hold a public hearing on the issue May 26, which is a prerequisite for a formal moratorium vote expected to come June 8.
—Terry Roueche, Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
For a tribe to scale its businesses and effectively expand into different sectors, experience in one of these two industries is effectively a prerequisite, according to Ava LaPlante, a researcher at the Minneapolis Fed’s Center for Indian Country Development.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 May 2026
Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche says intimacy coordinators are not the sole component prerequisite for a good performance.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prerequisite
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Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
The council unanimously agreed to hold a public hearing on the issue May 26, which is a prerequisite for a formal moratorium vote expected to come June 8.
—Terry Roueche, Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
For a tribe to scale its businesses and effectively expand into different sectors, experience in one of these two industries is effectively a prerequisite, according to Ava LaPlante, a researcher at the Minneapolis Fed’s Center for Indian Country Development.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 May 2026
Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche says intimacy coordinators are not the sole component prerequisite for a good performance.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prerequisite
Cite this Entry
“Prerequisite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prerequisite. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prerequisite
noun
pre·req·ui·site
(ˈ)prē-ˈrek-wə-zət
: something required beforehand or necessary as preparation for something else
the course is a prerequisite for advanced study
prerequisite
adjective
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