pre-soften
|pre-sof-ten|
🇺🇸
/priːˈsɑfən/
🇬🇧
/priːˈsɒfən/
make soft beforehand
Etymology
'pre-soften' is formed from the prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae', meaning 'before') + the verb 'soften' (from Old English 'softian'/'softe' related to 'soft').
'soften' evolved from Old English 'softian' (related to 'soft' from Proto-Germanic *softaz) and developed into Middle English forms before becoming modern English 'soften'. The prefix 'pre-' comes from Latin 'prae' and entered English through Old French/Latin influence; combining 'pre-' with verbs to mean 'before' is a common modern formation, producing compounds like 'pre-soften'.
Individually, 'pre-' originally meant 'before' and 'soften' meant 'to make soft'; combined, 'pre-soften' initially and consistently means 'to make soft beforehand' with little semantic shift.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of softening something in advance (often used as 'a pre-softening').
A pre-softening of the yarn improved the fabric's handle.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to make soft or soften something in advance of a later process or use; to treat beforehand so that it becomes softer.
They pre-softened the fabric before dyeing to ensure even color absorption.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
having been softened beforehand.
Use the pre-softened leather for easier stitching.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/14 00:04