predating
Existing before something
Predating means existing or occurring before something else in time: Evidence of human settlement predating the Bronze Age.
It's the present participle of predate, used when establishing that one thing came earlier than another: a manuscript predating the printing press.
Separately, predating can mean preying upon, from the unrelated verb meaning to hunt or exploit: wolves predating on elk herds.
Animal being hunted
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- stalkingStealthy, persistent pursuit
- pursuitAct of chasing something
- carnivoreCreature eating only animals
pack hunting · chase · capture · kill · quarry · attack · pounce · strike
Coming before in order
- antecedentSomething that precedes
- priorExisting before another
- earlierAt a prior time
- beforePrior in time
previous · pre-existing · anteceding · foregoing · anterior · precedent · temporal · sequence
Predecessor in lineage
- progenitorAncestor or originator
- precursorSomething that comes first
- forerunnerOne that comes before
- prototypeFirst functional specimen
primogenitor · lineage · descent · origin · divergence · speciation · phylogeny · common ancestor
Preserved ancient organism traces
- dinosaursExtinct prehistoric reptiles
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- paleontologyStudy of ancient organisms
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
Jurassic · Cambrian · Precambrian · trilobites · mammoths · Pleistocene · pterosaurs · megafauna
prey
Animal being hunted
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- stalkingStealthy, persistent pursuit
- pursuitAct of chasing something
carnivore · pack hunting · chase · capture · kill · quarry · attack · pounce · strike · tracking
preceding
Coming before in order
- antecedentSomething that precedes
- priorExisting before another
- earlierAt a prior time
before · previous · pre-existing · anteceding · foregoing · anterior · precedent · temporal · sequence · timeline
ancestor
Predecessor in lineage
- progenitorAncestor or originator
- precursorSomething that comes first
- forerunnerOne that comes before
prototype · primogenitor · lineage · descent · origin · divergence · speciation · phylogeny · common ancestor · basal
fossils
Preserved ancient organism traces
- dinosaursExtinct prehistoric reptiles
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- paleontologyStudy of ancient organisms
Mesozoic · Jurassic · Cambrian · Precambrian · trilobites · mammoths · Pleistocene · pterosaurs · megafauna · primordial
predatingpostdating
Assigning a later date
following · succeeding · coming after · ensuing · trailing