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Origin and history of preselect

preselect(v.)

also pre-select, "select beforehand or in advance," 1856, from pre- "before" + select (v.). Related: Preselected; preselecting.

Entries linking to preselect

"to single out one or more from a number of things of the same kind, choose in preference to another or others," 1560s, from select (adj.) or from Latin selectus. Related: Selected; selecting.

word-forming element meaning "before," from Old French pre- and Medieval Latin pre-, both from Latin prae (adverb and preposition) "before in time or place," from PIE *peri- (source also of Oscan prai, Umbrian pre, Sanskrit pare "thereupon," Greek parai "at," Gaulish are- "at, before," Lithuanian prie "at," Old Church Slavonic pri "at," Gothic faura, Old English fore "before"), extended form of root *per- (1) "forward," hence "beyond, in front of, before."

The Latin word was active in forming verbs. Also see prae-. Sometimes in Middle English muddled with words in pro- or per-.

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