predated by

USAGE SUMMARY

"predated by" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that happened before something else. For example, "This building was predated by a much smaller structure."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The pest population dies at a rate ax and is predated by the predator population at a rate (pxy).

Advances in Difference Equations

Prey populations may suffer compensatory mortality when predated by native predators but, conversely, mortality may be additive as a result of non-native predators.

Plosone

These mechanisms, if present, limit the inference that prey are effectively avoiding being predated by just avoiding predators.

Plosone

Low nests in the interior tended to have larger survival times whereas high nests at the edge tended to be more predated by birds and less predated by mammals.

Acta Oecologica

We note that apart from predation by fish, sticklebacks are also predated by aquatic insects, birds and conspecifics.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Also, losses by predation were classified as fruits or mature seed predated by insect or predated by birds.

Ecological Processes

These observations indicate that both species have been predated by the same phage and have survived that predation in these two different ways.

BMC Genomics

Only four nests had not been predated during the experiment; 55 nests were predated by birds, 7 by mammals, and 23 by unidentified predators.

Acta Oecologica

But #OWS was itself predated by camps in Madrid, Athens, Santiago – and even Malaysia.

The Guardian

Kazin's encounter with Bloom predated, by two years, Bloom's first steps toward self-reinvention.

The New York Times - Books

Turning over the canvases, he saw that they predated by a decade paintings in a similar style by Ms. Clark.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the subject using the phrase is the older one. Example: "The freeholders' library was predated by a reading room". Here reading room happened first.

Common error

Avoid using "predated by" when the subject is actually the more recent entity. For example, don't say "The sequel was predated by the original movie"; instead, say "The original movie predated the sequel."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "predated by" functions as a passive verb phrase indicating that something happened or existed before another thing. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in establishing chronological order across diverse subjects.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "predated by" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate that something occurred before something else. As verified by Ludwig, it is widely used in diverse fields such as science, news, and encyclopedias to establish chronological order. While alternatives like "preceded by" or "antedated by" exist, it's important to use "predated by" correctly to avoid misunderstanding the chronological order. Ludwig examples further illustrates appropriate usage and provides context across various topics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

preceded by

Emphasizes a direct sequential relationship, often used in describing events or steps.

antedated by

Highlights that one thing existed or occurred at an earlier date than something else.

came before

A simpler, more direct way of indicating temporal order.

was earlier than

Focuses on establishing a point of reference in the past.

existed before

Stresses the prior existence of something.

was the forerunner of

Implies a connection where the first item is a predecessor of the second, often suggesting influence.

was a precursor to

Suggests that the first item paved the way or influenced the development of the second.

was supplanted by

Suggests the first item was replaced by the second.

was superseded by

Suggests the first item was officially replaced by the second.

was the ancestor of

Implies a lineage or evolutionary relationship.

FAQs

What does "predated by" mean?

The phrase "predated by" means that something occurred or existed at an earlier time than something else. It's used to establish a chronological order between two events or entities.

How can I use "predated by" in a sentence?

You can use "predated by" to show that something happened before something else. For example, "The Renaissance was "preceded by" the Middle Ages" or "The iPhone was "antedated by" earlier smartphones".

What are some alternatives to "predated by"?

Some alternatives to "predated by" include "preceded by", "antedated by", "came before", or "existed before". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "predated to" instead of "predated by"?

No, the correct phrase is "predated by". "Predated to" is not grammatically correct and is not used in standard English.