Dictionary

prequel en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɹiːkwəl/
• audio

Etymology

From pre- (“before”) + quel, by analogy with sequel.

Meanings

1. In a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor, especially the original narrative or (perhaps improper usage) any narrative work with at least one sequel.
   • Set in 1935, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom probably has to be called a pre-sequel, or prequel, to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which was set in 1936, but it isn’t pulpy in the way that Raiders was. 1984, Pauline Kael, The New Yorker:
   • 'Prequels' are sequels that relate the story that preceded the original film. 1980, Patrick Robertson, Movie Facts and Feats: A Guinness Record Book, New York: Sterling Publishing, page 43:
   • 2008, 26 February, Andrew Pierce, "JRR Tolkien's estate to sue Lord of the Rings filmmakers New Line Cinema over profits, in The Daily Telegraph They are also threatening to block the production of the long-awaited prequel, The Hobbit, which may now be cancelled.

Forms

Antonyms

sequel

Coordinates

midquel

Deriveds

prequelise · prequelization · prequelize

Relateds

midquel · threequel · interquel · sequel

Translations (24)

de Vorgänger (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · ja 前編 (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · ru при́квел (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · ru предысто́рия (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · pt prelúdio (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · de Vorgeschichte (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · de Prequel (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · es precuela (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · pt prequela (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · gl precuela (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · pt prequência (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · pl prequel (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · fr antépisode (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · it prequel (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · es protosecuela (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · fi etko-osa (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · fi esiosa (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · de Vorläufer (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · fr préquelle (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · eo antaŭdaŭrigo (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · ca preqüela (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · mk ретропродолжение (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · fr prequel (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor) · cmn 前傳 /前传 (in a series of works, an installment that is set chronologically before its predecessor)