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.
Artfully directed and chock-full of gruesome deaths, The First Omen is a rare horror prequel that's worthy of the classic on which it's based. Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026 The trailer comes as HBO‘s latest Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, prepares to unveil its debut season finale. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026 Both were about criminal immigrants, and one was a prequel to ‘4 Blocks,’ which has been very damaging to our community. Marta Balaga, Variety, 19 Feb. 2026 The prequel, which tells the story of a corporate arms race to develop immortality and the dark consequences that inevitably emerge, relies heavily on a cast that clearly buys into the premise from the very beginning. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prequel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prequel. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on prequel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster