preparation

UK: /ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən/ ,(prep′ə rā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

prep•a•ra•tion /ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən/   n. 

1. an act or step by which one prepares for something:
   [countable] last-minute preparations for their journey.
2. any activity or experience providing a way of preparing for the future:
   [uncountable] the lack of preparation students bring to their freshman writing class.
3. something prepared:
   [countable] She applied a soothing preparation to the burns.

See -pare-¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

prep•a•ra•tion  (prep′ə rā′shən), n. 

1. a proceeding, measure, or provision by which one prepares for something:
   preparations for a journey.
2. any proceeding, experience, or the like considered as a mode of preparing for the future.
3. an act of preparing.
4. the state of being prepared.
5. something prepared, manufactured, or compounded:
   a special preparation for sunbathers.
6. Surgery a specimen, as an animal body, prepared for scientific examination, dissection, etc.
7. Music and Dance
   • the preparing of a dissonance, by introducing the dissonant tone as a consonant tone in the preceding chord.
   • the tone so introduced.
8. Bible, Religion [New Testament.] the day before the Sabbath or a feast day.
9. British Terms work done by students in preparation for class;
   homework.
10. Religion the Preparation, the introductory prayers of the Mass or other divine service.

• Latin praeparātiōn- (stem of praeparātiō), a preparing, equivalent. to praeparāt(us) (past participle of praeparāre to prepare) + -iōn- -ion
• Middle English preparacion 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

preparation / ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən/ noun

1. the act or process of preparing
2. the state of being prepared; readiness
3. (often plural) a measure done in order to prepare for something; provision: to make preparations for something
4. something that is prepared, esp a medicinal formulation
5. (esp in a boarding school) homework
6. the period reserved for this
   Usually shortened to: prep
7. the anticipation of a dissonance so that the note producing it in one chord is first heard in the preceding chord as a consonance
8. a note so employed