Definition: Existing before a certain time or event; something that was already there before something else happened.

Example: The concept of a preexistent soul is found in various philosophical traditions.

Definition: A representation or suggestion of something that will happen in the future; an indication or foreshadowing of future events.

Example: The artist's early sketches were a prefiguration of the final masterpiece.

Definition: Describing something that serves as a model or example for future events or situations.

Example: The artist's early works were prefigurative of the style that would dominate the next decade.

Definition: To suggest or represent something that will happen in the future, often by showing an earlier version or form of it.

Example: The early designs of the building prefigure its final appearance.

Definition: The act of representing or suggesting something that will happen in the future.

Example: The artist's work was a prefigurement of the changes to come in society.

Definition: A specific example or case that shows or suggests what will happen in the future.

Example: The artist's early sketches were a prefiguring of the final masterpiece.

Definition: To show or suggest something that will happen in the future; to foreshadow.

Example: The early signs of spring are prefiguring the arrival of warmer weather.

Definition: A person who believes in the idea that organisms develop from pre-existing forms rather than through gradual changes.

Example: The preformationist argued that all living beings were already contained in miniature form within their parents.

Definition: The act of grasping or understanding something, either physically or mentally.

Example: The child's prehension of the concept was evident during the discussion.

Definition: Relating to the time before the biblical fall of Adam and Eve, often used to describe an idealized state of innocence or purity.

Example: Many people long for a prelapsarian world where innocence and harmony prevailed before human sin.

Definition: Relating to the time before life begins.

Example: Scientists study prelife conditions to understand how life might have originated on Earth.