noun a previous time or circumstance
adjective existing or occurring before in time or order
adverb before or in front
In legal contexts, 'prior' is often used to refer to something that existed or occurred before a specific point in time, such as 'prior convictions' or 'prior agreements'.
In finance, 'prior' is commonly used to describe data or events that occurred before the current time period, such as 'prior year financial statements' or 'prior investment performance'.
In academic research, 'prior' is used to refer to previous studies, theories, or findings that serve as a foundation for current research, such as 'prior literature review' or 'prior research methods'.
In a professional context, 'prior' is often used by writers to refer to something that occurred before a certain point in time, such as 'prior to the start of the project, we conducted extensive research.'
Psychologists may use 'prior' when discussing a client's history or previous experiences, for example, 'prior to the traumatic event, the client showed no signs of anxiety.'