predate

1 of 2

verb (1)

pre·​date (ˌ)prē-ˈdāt 

predated; predating; predates

transitive verb

: antedate

predate

2 of 2

verb (2)

pre·​date pri-ˈdāt 

predated; predating; predates

transitive + intransitive

: to prey on (something or someone)

Animals predate other animals in nature, but that is hardly commensurate with a massive worldwide farming industry that breeds species purely for our purpose.

—Jenny Diski

Are high-profile men that sexually predate women finally starting to lose immunity?

—Alex McKinnon

All cats may predate but those living indoors have little opportunity to do so.

—Kevin Stafford

There are many species that predate on pigeons and doves.

—Revati

Synonyms of predate

Verb (1)

• precede

Examples of predate in a Sentence

Verb (1)

modes of transportation that predate the car

the native people who predated European settlers in America

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The category went viral on TikTok, though the underlying physiology predates the trend. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026

Korkiya noted that the Bushehr Units 2 and 3 project predates the 2024 roadmap, meaning the document did not originate that cooperation but rather incorporated an existing strategic project into the broader Russia-Iran framework. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026

All these trends predate the foreign oil cutoff and the newest sanctions by years, if not decades, but each now appears to be accelerating. — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026

For years, a Clarus sculpture held a prominent spot in the icon garden outside the Apple headquarters buildings, predating Apple Park’s spaceship structure. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (2)

back-formation from predator or predatory

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1854, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1941, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for predate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

predate

verb

pre·​date (ˈ)prē-ˈdāt 

: antedate sense 1