Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: Prep |
PrepNoun1. Preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home). Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "prep" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1856. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Computing | PREP 1. (PReP) PowerPC Reference Platform. 2. (PREP) PRogrammed Electronics Patterns. Language for designing integrated circuits. ["Computer Assisted Mask Production", R.L. Rosenfeld, Proc IEEE 57(9) Sep 1969]. Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing. |
Slang | Noun. Source: From the word "preppy" or "yuppie". Definition: Someone who is of high financial standing, and shows very low levels of tolerance for anyone who is not willing to wear a suit and work eight hours a day for a high-brow corporation. Context: The word "prep" is used in all forms of conversations by the social group to describe people who can never be part of their community. Social Source: Southern Californian surfers. Source: Compiled by The University of Oregon. (additional references) |
| Verb and sometimes a noun. Source: Unknown. Definition: Radio opaque drinking fluids that a person must drink before x-ray procedures and before having surgery. Context: Mrs. Rosh was prepped the night before her gall bladder surgery. Social Source: Medical Community. Source: Compiled by The University of Oregon. (additional references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
PReP | English | Power PC Reference Platform | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonyms: PrepSynonyms: homework (n), preparation (n). (additional references) |
Crosswords: Prep |
| English words defined with "prep": For that, For to, Forasmuch ♦ In-, In as much as, Inasmuch, Inasmuch as ♦ Onto, Outtaken ♦ Under one's signature. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "prep": COFFEE ROASTER, CONTINUOUS PROCESS, COFFEE-ROASTER HELPER, comb capper, CORN COOKER ♦ DRIER OPERATOR, DRUM, DRIER, SHORT GOODS ♦ HONEY EXTRACTOR, HONEYCOMB DECAPPER ♦ LONG-GOODS HELPER, MACHINE ♦ MAPLE-SYRUP MAKER, MEXICAN FOOD MAKER, HAND, MIXER, DRY-FOOD PRODUCTS ♦ POTATO-CHIP-PROCESSING SUPERVISOR, PowerPC Platform ♦ spaghetti press helper, spice blender, SPICE MIXER. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "prep": Without. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | We should do some prep work (The American President; writing credit: Aaron Sorkin) Okay, yes, I have been known to do a little prep work before our conversations (Buffy the Vampire Slayer; writing credit: Doreen Spicer) But at least twenty-three percent of that will be returned to you, the taxpaying citizen -- minus of course state surcharges, subsidies, handling taxes, and dealer's prep. (The Wizard of Speed and Time; writing credit: Mike Jittlov) What's a prep school (Outside Providence; writing credit: Peter Farrelly) Oh, honey, do you have time to do that and prep your Thanksgiving food (Gilmore Girls; writing credit: Povl Erik Carstensen; Sebastian Dorset) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Prep and Pep (1928) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books | |||
Periodicals | |||
Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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High Tech |
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Consumer Goods | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | Lord & Taylor, business in Millburn, New Jersey. Prep department. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Pelena s izobrazheniem Prep. Evfrosinii. [Prepodobenskii monastyr', Suzdal']. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Raka s moshchami Prep. Evfrosinii v Spaso-Evfrosin'evskom monastyrie. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Obshchii vid Golutvinskago muzhskogo monastyria s zap. Sobor prep. Sergiia Radonezhskago. [Kolomna]. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Skhima Prep. Kn. Anny Kashinskoi v Uspenskom soborie. Kashin. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Vkhodnyia vrata s iugo-vost. Nad nimi tserkov' Prep. Sergiia Radonezhskago. Borisogliebsk. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Litsevoi pokrov na raku Prep. Kirilla. Vklad TSaritsy inokini Marii Nagikh. [Kirillo-Belozerskii monastyr', Kirillov, Rossiiskaia imperiia]. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Raka Prep. Kirilla. [Kirillo-Belozerskii monastyr', Kirillov, Rossiiskaia imperiia]. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Znamia Sapiegi, dannoe Prep. Irinarkhu. V soborie Borisa i Gleba. Borisogliebsk. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | The night before the test, bowel cleansing, also called bowel prep, is necessary to clear the lower digestive tract. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Merv Griffin | My mother used to call me from California and say he's so brilliant and I never told her because he really didn't know. We had to prep him. But Alex Trebek is a different cup of tea. He knows. He knows. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| "Prep" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 89.47% of the time. "Prep" is used about 95 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 89.47% | 85 | 35,870 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 7.37% | 7 | 133,076 |
| Noun (proper) | 2.11% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Unclassified Items | 1.05% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 95 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "prep": Bowel Prep ♦ prep room ♦ prep school. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "prep": prep-aration, prep-school, prep-schoolboy, prep-schools, prep-time, prep-wear. | |
Ending with "prep": maxi-prep, mini-prep, pre-prep. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
test prep | 935 | gre prep | 52 |
regent prep | 920 | colonoscopy prep | 51 |
lsat test prep | 676 | gmat prep | 50 |
sat prep | 532 | sat test prep | 49 |
doll maker prep | 305 | johns prep st | 49 |
dollmaker prep | 212 | fairfield prep | 43 |
doll prep | 177 | act test prep | 43 |
prep school | 147 | georgetown prep | 42 |
dollmakers prep | 133 | ged prep | 42 |
maker prep | 133 | prep tech | 42 |
prep | 120 | prep sports | 41 |
dollz prep | 109 | sat prep class | 40 |
act prep | 97 | free sat prep | 37 |
prep.org regent | 95 | chemistry prep regent | 37 |
lsat prep course | 91 | math prep regent | 36 |
lsat prep | 84 | dollz maker prep | 35 |
sat prep course | 82 | college prep | 34 |
kaplan test prep | 70 | prep prep | 33 |
earth prep regent science | 57 | hockey prep school | 31 |
hall prep seton | 53 | thin prep | 31 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "prep"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | përgatitor (preparative, preparatory), përgatitje e të sëmurit, studim (learning, project, reconnaissance, research, search, studies, study, survey, surveying, tirocinium, treatment), detyra shkollore (preparation). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | ходя в първоначално училище, готвя си уроците, занимание (amusement, career, concern, concernment, employment, exercise, game, job, occupation, ploy, pursuit, way), първоначално училище (grade school), подготвям за операция, подготвям за изпит, подготовка на уроците. (various references) | |
Chinese | 准备 (Preparation, Preparatory, Prepare, Prepared, Preparedness, Preparing, readiness, readying, warm-up). (various references) | |
Czech | přípravka. (various references) | |
Farsi | مسابقه ازمایشی , مدرسه مقدماتی , مدرسه ابتداءی , دبستان (School). (various references) | |
French | préparation (preparation). (various references) | |
German | private grundschule, hausaufgaben (home work, homework, lesson, preparation). (various references) | |
Greek | βραδυνή μελέτη (preparatory), προπαιδεία (multiplication table, preparatory), προετοιμασία (conditioning, preparation, preparatory). (various references) | |
Hungarian | készülés (preparation). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 予備 (prep school). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | よび"う (prep school). (various references) | |
Korean | 준비 (Preparation, Preparative, Preparatory, Preparedness, Preparing, readying). (various references) | |
Manx | arnane (homework, night work, overtime, task). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | eppray.(various references) | |
Portuguese | preparatório (preliminary, preparative, preparatory, prior), preparação (benefication, brewing, confection, inurement, lead up, preparation, provision), preliminar (initiative, initiatory, precursory, prefatory, preliminary, prelusive, preparatory, primary), prévio (fore, precursory, prefatory, preparatory, previous, prior), introdutório (introductory, prelusive, preparatory), estudo (art, benefication, etude, lead up, review, study). (various references) | |
Russian | приготовительный (preparative, preparatory), приготовительная школа. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | pripremni (preparative, preparatory), predškolsko obrazovanje. (various references) | |
Spanish | escuela preparatoria (preparatory school), deberes (engagement, homework, preparation, schoolwork). (various references) | |
Swedish | hemarbete (homework). (various references) | |
Turkish | hazırlık okulu (lower school), hazırlık öğrencisi, ev ödevi (assignment, homework), özel ilkokul (preparative school, preparatory school). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | готування уроків, підготовча школа. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | b i soạn trường dự bị. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "prep": prepack, prepackage, prepackaged, prepackages, prepackaging, prepacked, prepacking, prepacks, prepaid, preparation, preparations, preparative, preparatively, preparatives, preparator, preparatorily, preparators, preparatory, prepare, prepared, preparedly, preparedness, preparednesses, preparer, preparers, prepares, preparing, prepaste, prepasted, prepastes, prepasting, prepay, prepaying, prepayment, prepayments, prepays, prepense, prepensely, preperformance, preperformances, prepill, preplace, preplaced, preplaces, preplacing, preplan, preplanned, preplanning, preplans, preplant, preplanting. (additional references) | |
Words containing "prep": underprepared, unprepared, unpreparedness, unpreparednesses, unprepossessing. (additional references) | |
| |
"Prep" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: arepp, parp, pepp, perb, Perkpc, perp, persp, plep, pnre, poep, Praep, Preap, preb, Prec, pred, pree, preeo, pref, preg, prej, Prek, prel, prem, pren, preo, preop, prepa, prepro, prepy, Prespa, prev, prew, prex, prez, priap, prib, prip, proph, propi, propp, prp, repp, srep. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "prep" (pronounced pre"p) |
| 3 | -r e" p | rep, repp, strep. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: perp, repp. | |
| Words within the letters "e-p-p-r" | |
-1 letter: pep, per, rep. | |
-2 letters: er, pe, re. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-p-p-r" | |
+1 letter: paper, perps, piper, preps, repps, upper. | |
+2 letters: appear, bopper, capper, copper, cupper, dapper, dipper, frappe, gipper, grippe, gypper, hipper, hopper, kipper, lapper, lipper, lopper, mapper, mopper, napper, nipper, pamper, papers, papery, pauper, peeper, pepper, pipers, pipier, popery, popper, preamp, prepay, preppy, propel, proper, pulper, pumper, purple, pyrope, rapped, rappee, rappel, rappen, rapper, repped, repump, ripped, ripper, ripple, sapper, sipper, supper, tapper, tipper, topper, uppers, yapper, zapper, zipper. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Quotations: Spoken 10. Usage Frequency 11. Expressions 12. Expressions: Internet | 13. Translations: Modern 14. Abbreviations 15. Acronyms 16. Derivations | 17. Rhymes 18. Anagrams 19. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.