Prē'vi-oŭs, a.

a. [Lat. prævius, going before, leading the way, from præ, before, and via, the way; It. & Sp. previo.] Going before in time; being or happening before something else; antecedent; prior; as, a previous intimation of a design; a previous event.

Sound from the mountain, previous to the storm, Rolls o'er the muttering earth. Thomson.

Synonyms—Antecedent; preceding; anterior; prior; foregoing; former.