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prep

Etymology and origin of the English word prep

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Clipping
First attested
1862

Pronunciation

Etymology

It is a clipping of preparation, and in later uses of preparatory and prepare.[2][3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The preparation of lessons, schoolwork done outside class: 1862.[2][3][6]

Semantic evolution

Prep school, American English, is from 1895, short for preparatory school (1828).[2][3][6] A student at such a school or one preparing for college is a prep by 1899.[3][6] The verb, to attend a preparatory school, is American, from 1915 in Barnhart and the OED, 1909 in Merriam-Webster.[2][6][7] To prepare or train someone is from 1927 in Barnhart, 1908 in Etymonline.[2][3] In American horse racing a prep is a race run as preparation for a bigger one (1944).[6] Preppy is from 1962.[2]

Timeline

  • 1862 – preparation of lessons.[2][6]
  • 1895 – prep school (US).[2][3]
  • 1899 – a prep student.[3][6]
  • 1915 – to attend prep school (US).[2][6]
  • 1927 – to prepare, train.[2][6]
  • 1962 – preppy.[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. (informal) Preparation, especially schoolwork done outside lessons; homework.
  2. (chiefly US) A preparatory school.
  3. A student at such a school; a preppy.

Verb

  1. To prepare a patient for a medical examination or operation.
  2. To make preparations, often with for.
  3. (US) To attend a preparatory school.

Adjective

  1. Preparatory.

Word family

  • preppy

Usage notes

PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis against an infection such as HIV, is a separate acronym.[8]

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
Cite this entry

“Prep.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/prep. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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