prequel

noun

pre·​quel ˈprē-kwəl How to pronounce prequel (audio)
: a work (such as a novel or a play) whose story precedes that of an earlier work
… the real payoff will be for the next Star Wars, an expected prequel to the previous three movies.Laurence Hooper

Examples of prequel in a Sentence

His next film will be a prequel to last year's hit movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Friday night's performance of the stage play/prequel to Netflix's Stranger Things turned into a special event. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Dec. 2025 The thrillifying conclusion to the splashy Wizard of Oz prequel was a treat on several levels. Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025 The Young Lee Shaw prequel will be exec produced by Harold and Tory Tunnell for Safehouse Pictures, along with Russell, Chris Black, Kyle Bradstreet, Alex Boden, Max Borenstein and Andy Goddard. Michael Schneider, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025 No word yet on if dad will appear in the prequel. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 17 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prequel

Word History

Etymology

pre- + -quel (as in sequel)

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prequel was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“Prequel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prequel. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.

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