previously.

At a time before the point or event under discussion.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• previously reported
• previously unknown

On the page

A previously unreported comparison changed the interpretation of the main result.

The study revisited assumptions that had previously been accepted without direct testing.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Invariable adverb; no plural or tense forms. Comparison is used only where a particular degree naturally permits it. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: inference, qualification, analysis, methodology. Disciplines: academic writing, reasoning, research. Commonness: common.