prestressing
|pre-stress-ing|
/priːˈstrɛsɪŋ/
(prestress)
apply stress beforehand
Etymology
'prestress' is a modern English compound formed from the prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae' meaning 'before') + 'stress' (from Middle English 'stresse', Old French 'estresse').
'stress' came into English via Middle English 'stresse' from Old French 'estresse', ultimately related to Latin roots meaning 'to draw tight'; 'pre-' is from Latin 'prae'. The compound 'prestress' was coined in technical/engineering English in the 20th century to describe the act of applying stress in advance.
Originally the elements 'pre-' and 'stress' retained their general meanings ('before' + 'force/tension'); in engineering usage the compound came to mean specifically 'apply stress beforehand to improve structural performance', a technical specialization of the components' senses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or technique of applying stress (usually compressive) to a structural element (such as concrete or steel) before it is put into service, to improve its performance under loads.
Prestressing is commonly used in bridge construction to reduce tensile stresses in concrete.
Synonyms
Verb 1
present participle of 'prestress'; performing the action of applying prestress to an element (e.g., prestressing a concrete beam).
The crew is prestressing the concrete segments before final assembly.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/25 10:02