prewarn

verb

pre·​warn ˌprē-ˈwȯrn How to pronounce prewarn (audio)
variants or pre-warn
prewarned or pre-warned; prewarning or pre-warning

transitive verb

: to warn (someone) beforehand : forewarn
… in 1951, the network began to unravel, and two of its members, Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess, prewarned by fellow conspirators, jumped the night ferry to St.-Malo …Stephen Koch

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prewarn was circa 1624

Dictionary Entries Near prewarn

Cite this Entry

“Prewarn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prewarn. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!