See also: précondition

English edit

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Etymology edit

pre- +‎ condition

Noun edit

precondition (plural preconditions)

  1. A condition that requires satisfaction before taking a course of action.
    A marriage licence is a precondition for a wedding.
    • 2023 September 6, Christian Wolmar, “Rail strikes: little prospect of negotiations”, in RAIL, number 991, page 44:
      After a failed attempt by ministers to bounce the union into an agreement by announcing its terms (which included all sorts of union red lines such as drivers having to pay for their own training) in the media rather than over the negotiation table, there is an understandable reluctance on the part of the unions to engage in any discussions unless there are no preconditions.
  2. A medical illness, ailment, or adverse condition that exists before an insurance policy takes effect.

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Verb edit

precondition (third-person singular simple present preconditions, present participle preconditioning, simple past and past participle preconditioned)

  1. (medicine, biology) To condition in advance
    • 1996, C. Weinbrenner et al., “Loss of glycogen during preconditioning is not a prerequisite for protection of the rabbit heart”, in Basic Research in Cardiology[1], volume 91, number 5:
      The hearts were preconditioned by either ischemia or bradykinin or adenosine.