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Predate (Verb)

Prey on or hunt for; "These mammals predate certain eggs".

Verbs of eating and drinking.

The large birds predate on small mammals like rodents and rabbits that live in their habitat.
Certain spiders predate on almost all other insects and small arthropods in the garden ecosystem.
Larger fish predate on a range of species including smaller fish and aquatic crustaceans.
Apex predators such as sharks and orcas mainly predate on various large marine animals.
These species of owls are nocturnal hunters that predate on anything from small mammals to flying insects.

Be earlier in time; go back further; "Stone tools precede bronze tools".

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.

The origins of Homo sapiens in Africa predate those found in Europe by at least a hundred thousand years.
This style of artwork found in the cave predates the style of the ancient Egyptians' artwork.
Classical music compositions predate many of the modern genres of music we enjoy today.
These archaeological discoveries in Turkestan predate the ancient cities of China and India.
Ancient fossil bones found in the depths of the Antarctic ice sheet predate the supposed existence of dinosaurs.

Establish something as being earlier relative to something else.

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

The ancient civilization's discovery of writing predates the earliest surviving texts by several centuries.
Historical records show that life in the Americas predates the era of European colonization.
New archaeological findings predate the previously accepted timeline of the region's settlement.
The tradition of oral storytelling predates the written word, passing down through generations.
Recent discoveries of fossils indicate that these species predate by millions of years what were thought to be the earliest known forms of life.

Come before; "Most English adjectives precede the noun they modify".

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.

Many ancient civilizations predate the use of written languages and are now known only through archaeological evidence.
The original restaurant location of this popular chain predates the company's international success.
Humanity's use of basic tools predates the development of modern technology by thousands of years.
These prehistoric fossil findings predate the previously known existence of the species by millions of years.
Most cave paintings found around the world significantly predate the artworks commonly found in many modern art galleries.