Pre″vi‐ous (?), a. [L. praevius going before, leading the way; prae before + via the way. See Voyage.] Going before in time; being or happening before something else; antecedent; prior; as, previous arrangements; a previous illness.
The dull sound... previous to the storm,
Rolls o'er the muttering earth. Thomson.
Previous question. (Parliamentary Practice) See under Question, and compare Closure. — Previous to, before; — often used adverbially for previously. “Previous to publication.” M. Arnold. “A policy... his friends had advised previous to 1710.” J. H. Newman.
Syn. — Antecedent; preceding; anterior; prior; foregoing; former.