Pretrial

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Taking place before a formal legal hearing or court trial begins, such as procedural motions or bail decisions
2. Relating to the stage of legal proceedings that comes before the actual trial of a case in court
3. Describing matters, hearings or arrangements handled in advance of a criminal or civil trial

Etymology: "Pretrial" is a straightforward compound: the prefix "pre-", meaning "before," attached to "trial." The prefix comes from Latin "prae," which likewise meant "before" or "in front of," and it passed into English through Middle English. The base word "trial" has a longer and more winding route. It descends from Latin material that ultimately connects to ideas of testing and proving, and it entered English through Anglo-Norman and Old French, where it became "trier," meaning to try, test, or examine. Because the word is built transparently from two familiar English parts, its meaning is simply the sense of the parts combined: the period, proceedings, or matters that come before a formal trial. Its literal sense is therefore visible in its construction rather than hidden in a surprising history.

Synonyms: preliminary, pre-hearing

Antonyms: posttrial