pre-interview
UK[ˌpriː ˈɪntəvjuː]US[ˌpri ˈɪntərvjuː]
adj
Happening or required before an interview, especially a job interview.
n
A meeting or process that occurs before a main interview.
Morpheme Breakdown
pre
interview
pre
before
interview
formal meeting
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound formed by attaching the Latin-derived prefix 'pre-' to the existing noun 'interview'. The prefix 'pre-' descends directly from the Latin preposition 'prae', meaning "before" or "in front of," a concept with clear Proto-Indo-European roots in per- (forward, through). The core word 'interview' entered English via Old French 'entrevue', literally "a seeing of each other," from Latin 'intervidere' (to see between or meet). The logical construction of 'pre-interview' is transparently temporal: it describes any activity or event situated "before the formal meeting for seeing each other," perfectly aligning its composite literal meaning with its modern abstract usage in professional and formal contexts.
Analysis
Structure: pre (before) + interview (formal meeting)
- pre: A prefix of Latin origin (from Latin 'prae', meaning "before"). It functions as a modifier indicating temporal priority.
- interview: A noun of Anglo-French/Latin origin (from Old French 'entrevue', based on Latin 'inter' (between) + 'videre' (to see)). It functions as the core noun denoting a formal meeting.
Examples
The company sent a pre-interview assignment to all shortlisted candidates.
She felt the pre-interview nerves as she waited in the lobby.
A brief pre-interview was conducted to verify the applicant's basic qualifications.