'pre-environmental' is a compound formed from the prefix 'pre-' and the adjective 'environmental'. 'pre-' originates from Latin 'prae' meaning 'before', and 'environmental' comes from 'environment' + the adjectival suffix '-al'.

'environmental' derives from French 'environnement' (to surround) + English adjectival formation '-al'; 'environnement' came from Old French environer (to surround) from en- + viron (circle). The prefix 'pre-' entered English via Latin 'prae' and Old French 'pre'. Together they form 'pre-environmental' to indicate something occurring before environmental conditions or procedures.

Initially, the elements meant 'before' (for 'pre-') and 'that which surrounds' (for 'environment'); over time, 'environmental' came to mean 'relating to the natural and built surroundings and their conditions', and combined with 'pre-' it now denotes 'before those environmental conditions or before environmental procedures'.