predetermine
verb /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪn/
/ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːrmɪn/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they predetermine | /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪn/ /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːrmɪn/ |
| he / she / it predetermines | /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪnz/ /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːrmɪnz/ |
| past simple predetermined | /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːrmɪnd/ |
| past participle predetermined | /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːrmɪnd/ |
| -ing form predetermining | /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪnɪŋ/ /ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːrmɪnɪŋ/ |
- predetermine something to decide something in advance so that it does not happen by chance
- The sex of the embryo is predetermined at fertilization.
- The way in which surveys are carried out often predetermines the results that are obtained.
Word Originearly 17th cent.: from late Latin praedeterminare, from prae ‘beforehand’ + determinare ‘limit, settle’.