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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

The prefix 'pre'

Is it acceptable to use 'pre' in front of existing. Surely existing means 'there already' (or similar), and to say, for example 'a pre-existing condition' is redundant?
  

Top answer

"pre-existing" is accepted even though it seems redundant. There are other examples of seemingly redundant "pre" that people like to complain about. "pre-book" and "pre-order" are two that come to mind.

— GPY

  • "pre-existing" is accepted even though it seems redundant.
  • There are other examples of seemingly redundant "pre" that people like to complain about.
  • "pre-book" and "pre-order" are two that come to mind.
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3 Answers
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"pre-existing" is accepted even though it seems redundant. There are other examples of seemingly redundant "pre" that people like to complain about. "pre-book" and "pre-order" are two that come to mind.
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I understand that something is pre-existing if it existed before something else.
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Yes.

Suppose you buy insurance on your car on July 1, 2016.
You had a crash June 20, 2016 and that caused some damage to the front passenger door.

That damage is pre-existing (eg. the damage happened before the insurance took effect), and the insurance will not pay you to get it fixed.
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