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.
The franchise has since expanded with prequels House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, with additional projects still in development. Ryan Brennan april 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2026 King, whose focus was on building out a slate based on MGM IP, worked on the Legally Blonde prequel Elle, Carrie, Creed spinoff Delphi, Stargate and Robocop. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026 Andy Serkis confirmed for the first time that the role of Aragorn will be played by a new actor in his upcoming The Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hunt for Gollum. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026 The new play is a prequel to these events, set a decade before the events of the first novel and Season 1 of the show. Ryan Brennan april 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Prequel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prequel. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

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