prerequisite
noun
pre·req·ui·site
(ˌ)prē-ˈre-kwə-zət 
: something that is necessary to an end or to the carrying out of a function
prerequisite
adjective
Did you know?
Prerequisite is partly based on requirere, the Latin verb meaning "to need or require". So a prerequisite can be anything that must be accomplished or acquired before something else can be done. Possessing a valid credit card is a prerequisite for renting a car. A physical exam may be a prerequisite for receiving a life-insurance policy. And successful completion of an introductory course is often a prerequisite for enrolling in a higher-level course.
Examples of prerequisite in a Sentence
Future greatness does not always inspire popularity. Coolness, in the high-school or hip sense of the word, is not a prerequisite for leadership.
—
Evan Thomas, Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2004
… opposition to the totalitarian threat was the prerequisite for membership in American liberalism because communism was the defining moral challenge of the age.
—Peter Beinart, New Republic, 13 Dec. 2004
But old-school Andy lacks a skill that may soon be a prerequisite for 21st-century detective work: knowing how to glean secrets from a suspect's hard drive.
—Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002
Evan Thomas, Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2004
… opposition to the totalitarian threat was the prerequisite for membership in American liberalism because communism was the defining moral challenge of the age.
—Peter Beinart, New Republic, 13 Dec. 2004
But old-school Andy lacks a skill that may soon be a prerequisite for 21st-century detective work: knowing how to glean secrets from a suspect's hard drive.
—Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002
Recent Examples on the Web
The ability to assimilate into these groups is seen as a prerequisite for healthy social and emotional development, and opting out is rarely an option.
—Dr. Rami Kaminski, Time, 18 June 2025
The Pirates still can’t score runs with any regularity, and unfortunately, scoring runs is a prerequisite to winning baseball games.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Reports soon followed that Washington had dropped its demand for Israeli-Saudi normalization as a prerequisite for a U.S.–Saudi nuclear pact — a strategic goal long championed by Netanyahu.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2025
Still, such crises might not result in immediate regime change, since Russia currently lacks the prerequisites that would be needed.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prerequisite
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.
Dr. Rami Kaminski, Time, 18 June 2025
The Pirates still can’t score runs with any regularity, and unfortunately, scoring runs is a prerequisite to winning baseball games.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Reports soon followed that Washington had dropped its demand for Israeli-Saudi normalization as a prerequisite for a U.S.–Saudi nuclear pact — a strategic goal long championed by Netanyahu.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2025
Still, such crises might not result in immediate regime change, since Russia currently lacks the prerequisites that would be needed.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prerequisite
Cite this Entry
“Prerequisite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prerequisite. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prerequisite
noun
pre·req·ui·site
(ˈ)prē-ˈrek-wə-zət
: something required beforehand or necessary as preparation for something else
the course is a prerequisite for advanced study
prerequisite
adjective
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share