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)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The Harlem Globetrotters are headed to Montgomery Tuesday, Dec. 13 to preform at Garrett Coliseum for the team’s latest world tour. al, 12 Dec. 2022 The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will make its way to Birmingham, Ala. Dec. 15, 2022 to preform at Legacy Arena for the 2022 Ghost of Christmas Eve Tour. al, 1 Nov. 2022 Police said that the man was hiking in a steep area at the top of Sunset Trail, and were forced to to preform a hoist operation using a helicopter to save him. Jeremy Yurow, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2022 Kevin Gates will be making a stop in Birmingham on Friday, Oct. 7 to preform at the BJCC Arena for his 2022 Big Lyfe Tour. al, 9 Sep. 2022 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 The 21-story Hilton Palacio del Rio was built in 202 days, using a crane to lift preformed, furnished room modules into place. Scott Huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, 31 Mar. 2018
Noun
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 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preform.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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 22 Mar. 2023.

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