prep

1 of 3

noun

ˈprep 

1

: preparation

2

: preparatory school

3

: a preliminary trial for a racehorse

prep

2 of 3

verb

prepped; prepping

intransitive verb

1

: to attend preparatory school

2

[short for prepare] : to get ready

transitive verb

: prepare

especially : to prepare for an operation or examination

nurses prepped the patient

PrEP

3 of 3

abbreviation

pre-exposure prophylaxis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that PrEP, when used consistently, can reduce the risk of H.I.V. infection by up to 92 percent.

—Ginia Bellafante

Synonyms of prep

Verb

• prepare

Examples of prep in a Sentence

Noun

Painting a room involves a lot of prep.

Verb

She spent all night prepping for the test.

The runners are prepping themselves for the race.

It took me about 20 minutes to prep the vegetables.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Department store Macy’s highlights sporty prep, statement sneakers, denim, and activewear as key trends for the 2026 back-to-school period, chiming with analyst predictions. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026

Health inspector observed a German roach on the nest on the bottom shelf of the prep table behind the prep cooler inside the electrical outlets. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026

Verb

This cake is best the day after it’s made, so prep it the night before and stash it in the fridge. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2026

First, prep your sandwich with any fillings, then place it into the cutter to cut and seal in one step. — ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing prep

• prep school

Rhymes for prep

• cep
• hep
• pep
• rep
• sep
• step
• steppe
• strep
• yep
• bicep
• doorstep
• footstep

Medical Definition

prep

1 of 3 noun

ˈprep 

: the act or an instance of preparing a patient for a surgical operation

the nurse had three preps to do

prep

2 of 3 transitive verb

prepped; prepping

: to prepare for a surgical operation or examination

prep the patient for an appendectomy

PrEP

3 of 3 abbreviation

pre-exposure prophylaxis

The introduction of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has shown significant promise in reducing the rate of HIV incidence. … Although nearly 1.2 million people could benefit from PrEP, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) estimates that ~130,000–135,000 individuals were actively on PrEP in late 2019—meaning <15% of individuals in need of PrEP had a current prescription.

—Benedikt Pleuhs et al., AIDS Patient Care and STDs