Definition

Relating to a stage in child development where thinking is not yet logical and children struggle to understand symbols and concepts.

Example

During the preoperational stage, children often think in very concrete terms and have difficulty with abstract ideas.

Conversation

I was reading about child development, and I found the term preoperational fascinating.

Oh really? What does it mean exactly?

It refers to a stage where kids can't yet think logically, which is pretty interesting.

That makes sense! It's amazing how their thinking evolves over time.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Preoperational → It is formed from "pre-" (meaning before) and "operational" (from Latin "operari", meaning to work or perform). The term refers to a stage of cognitive development that occurs before the ability to perform operations or logical thinking is fully developed.

Memory Tip

Think of 'pre-' meaning before and 'operational' relating to working or performing — this helps you remember that 'preoperational' refers to the stage before one can fully perform logical operations.

Visually Confused Words