prestressed
|pre-stressed|
/priːˈstrɛst/
(prestress)
apply stress beforehand
Etymology
'prestressed' originates from English, specifically the word 'prestress', formed from the prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae') meaning 'before' and the word 'stress' (from Old French/Middle English) meaning 'pressure or force'.
'stress' comes into English via Middle English 'stresse' (from Old French 'estrece' meaning 'narrowness' or 'pressure'), ultimately from Latin roots related to 'stringere'/'strictus' ('to draw tight'). The modern compound 'prestress' (prefix 'pre-' + 'stress') developed in technical/engineering usage in the 20th century; 'prestressed' is the adjectival/past form that followed.
Originally 'stress' had senses of 'narrowness' or 'pressing'; over time it shifted toward the sense 'pressure, tension' and, in engineering contexts, to the specific meaning 'to apply tension beforehand'; 'prestressed' now denotes that pre-applied tension.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'prestress': to apply initial internal stress to a structural member (e.g., by tensioning steel) before it is put into service.
The engineers prestressed the beams before the deck was poured.
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Adjective 1
subjected to a pre-applied internal stress (usually by tensioning reinforcement) so that the structural element resists loads more effectively; typically used of concrete or structural members (as in 'prestressed concrete').
The bridge uses prestressed concrete to span long distances with less material.
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Last updated: 2025/12/23 08:32