predate

/priˈdeɪt/
verb
  1. To exist or happen earlier than something else; to come before in time.
    • The fossils predate the earliest known human settlements.
    • Many of these traditions predate the invention of writing.
    • The ancient ruins predate the Roman Empire by thousands of years.
  2. To mark with an earlier date than the actual one.
    • The accountant accidentally predated the check by a week.
    • It is illegal to predate a legal document to avoid deadlines.
    • They tried to predate the contract to make it seem valid earlier.
  3. To hunt, kill, or eat other animals as prey.
    • Lions often predate on zebras and wildebeests.
    • The owl predates mainly at night, catching mice and voles.
    • Some insects predate on smaller bugs for survival.
Antonyms
What does "predate" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean