preempt
UK[priˈɛmpt]US[priˈɛmpt]
v
To take action in order to prevent something from happening or to prevent someone else's action.
v
To acquire or take possession of something before others can.
v
In broadcasting, to replace a scheduled program with another, usually more important one.
Morpheme Breakdown
pre
empt
pre
before
empt
take
Etymology
The word preempt is a modern formation, coined in the mid-19th century from the earlier legal term "preemption." It is built directly from the Latin prefix prae- (before) and the past participle stem empt- of the verb emere (to take, buy). The core logic is "to take before," which perfectly captures its modern senses of acting to prevent something or acquiring something ahead of others. This Latin root emere is also the source of English words like "redeem" (to take back), "exempt" (taken out), and "premium" (something taken or paid before).
Analysis
Structure: pre (before) + empt (take)
- pre: A prefix of Latin origin, meaning "before" in time, place, order, or importance.
- empt: A root from the Latin verb emere, meaning "to take, buy, or gain." The form empt is the past participle stem.
Examples
The government launched a diplomatic initiative to preempt a potential crisis.
The larger company preempted its competitor by securing the exclusive rights to the new technology.
The network decided to preempt the regular comedy show for a special news report.