See Also: preterite(dictionary)
preterite(dictionary)
preterite-present(dictionary)

preterite (iou)



preterite adjective & noun. Also *preterit. ME.
[Old & mod. French preterite or Latin praeteritus pa. pple of praeterire go by, pass, formed as PRETER- + ire go: see -ITE2.]
A. adjective.
Of or pertaining to past time; that occurred or existed earlier; past, former. arch. ME.
Grammar. Of a tense or participle: expressing a past action or state. Cf. PAST adjective 3. LME.
b. noun.
Past time, the past. rare. Only in LME.
Grammar. A preterite tense or form. M16.
preteriteness noun M17.