Definition

Describing something that is cut off or broken abruptly, as if it has been bitten or damaged.

Example

The gardener noticed a premorse leaf on the plant, indicating it might have been eaten by insects.

Conversation

Have you seen that new plant in the garden?

Yeah, it looks quite interesting with its premorse leaves.

I wonder if it’s a rare species or just a common one.

I think it’s rare; I’ve never seen anything like those premorse shapes before.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Premorse is formed from "pre-" (meaning before) and "morsus" (from Latin, meaning bite). The word refers to something that occurs before a bite or is related to the act of biting.

Memory Tip

Think of something that happens 'before' ('pre-') a 'bite' ('morsus') — that's what premorse means.

Visually Confused Words