Prefigure
/ˌpriːˈfɪɡjər/noun
To represent or suggest something in advance of its appearance.
Did you know?“Prefigure” comes from Latin roots meaning “to shape beforehand,” and it was long used in theology to describe Old Testament events seen as foreshadowing Christ.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
praefigurare
“to represent beforehand, foreshadow”
Late Latin
Latin
praefiguratus
“represented in advance”
Middle French
French
préfigurer
“to foreshadow, symbolize beforehand”
Late 16th Century
English
prefigure
“to foreshadow or represent by prior example”
Modern English
English
prefigure
“to suggest or indicate in advance”
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