premeditation

noun

pre·​med·​i·​ta·​tion (ˌ)prē-ˌme-də-ˈtā-shən 

: an act or instance of premeditating

specifically : consideration or planning of an act beforehand that shows intent to commit that act

Examples of premeditation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, searches about how to commit a specific crime, how to hide evidence, or how to evade law enforcement can indicate premeditation. —Lars Daniel, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024

In legal terms, Lindsay’s apparent composure on the day of the killings isn’t enough to rule out temporary insanity, and nor is any evidence of premeditation. —Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024

Instead, Velasquez will be convicted but not subject to a mandatory life sentence after premeditation allegations were dropped in accordance with a plea agreement with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. —Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2024

Would prosecutors really be prevented from mentioning the speech to jurors in proving premeditation? —Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

premeditation

noun

pre·​med·​i·​ta·​tion pri-ˌme-də-ˈtā-shən 

: an act or instance of premeditating

specifically : consideration or planning of an act beforehand

designed so that it requires premeditation to tamper with it

murder in the first degree is the killing of a human being committed…intentionally and with premeditation

—Kansas Statutes Annotated

see also cold blood, murder compare intent

Note: The terms premeditation, malice aforethought, deliberate, and willful are often used in statutes either along with or instead of intent to describe the necessary mental state for a crime. In some jurisdictions the premeditation has to occur only moments before the act, while in others it must precede the act by an appreciable amount of time.