before

The word “before” means earlier than a particular time or event. In plain terms, earlier than, or in front of, something else in time or space.

“Before” is pronounced bih-FAW (/bɪˈfoɹ/ in IPA).

Here is “before” used in a sentence: “We arrived before the doors even opened.”

Depending on how it is used, “before” can be a preposition, an adverb and a conjunction.

The word “before” comes from Old English. From Old English beforan, formed from be- plus foran ("in front"), ultimately going back to the same Indo-European root meaning "front" that also gives us "fore" and "forward.".

“Before” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Before” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: earlier than a particular time or event.

Before and after are opposites on the timeline. Before means earlier than a point in time or event — 'before lunch' is the stretch leading up to it. After means later than that point — 'after lunch' is the stretch that follows. Before looks back towards what comes first; after looks forward.

Before marks a point earlier than an event — 'Finish before six' means complete it at some moment prior to six. Until stresses continuing right up to that point — 'Wait until six' means keep waiting the whole time until six arrives. Before pinpoints; until covers the ongoing stretch.

As a preposition of time, the opposite of before is after — later than a given moment rather than earlier. 'Before the war' and 'after the war' sit on either side of the same event. When before refers to place or order ('before the judge'), its counterpart is behind or after.

Before links one thing to an earlier time or event: 'Call me before noon,' 'Wash your hands before dinner,' or 'She arrived before everyone else.' In each case it places the action earlier on the timeline than the point that follows it.