preposition Date: 1706 in advance of ; before , Usage: Sometimes termed pompous or affected, ~ is a synonym of before that most often appears in rather formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. It may occasionally emphasize the notion of anticipation .
PRIOR TO
Meaning of PRIOR TO in English
Merriam Webster. Explanatory English dictionary Merriam Webster. Толковый словарь английского языка Мерриам-Уэбстер. 2012