predawn

adjective

pre·​dawn ˌprē-ˈdȯn 

-ˈdän

variants or less commonly pre-dawn

: existing or occurring before dawn

a predawn attack

the predawn hours

… the gigantic telescope started scanning the predawn sky.

—Howard Blum

predawn noun

or less commonly pre-dawn

plural predawns also pre-dawns

The most bone-chilling predawns create the sharpest sunrises.

—Christine Schultz

… stepping out into the quiet pre-dawn, closing the door.

—Bryan Burrough

Examples of predawn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Separately on Wednesday, the Albuquerque Police Department announced murder charges against three teenagers — including two juveniles — in the July 2 shooting death of a homeless man in Albuquerque who was chased from a bus stop in the predawn hours. —Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2025

Still, the brightest Perseids should shine through, especially during the predawn hours when the constellation Perseus — from which the meteors appear to radiate, hence the shower's name — climbs high in the northeastern sky. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2025

The best time to watch the Perseids in the Northern Hemisphere is in the predawn hours, though meteors may be visible as early as 10 p.m., the space agency says. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 12 Aug. 2025

The predawn hours of August 9 were unusually quiet. —Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for predawn

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon