# ere

/ˈɛɹ/ (US) · /ˈeə/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Preposition

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ere
Updated: 2026-05-31

## Definition

an old-fashioned word for before. You might see it in old books or poems to show that one thing happens earlier than another.

For teachers: preceding in time; before. Primarily literary or archaic, it functions as a temporal preposition or conjunction in poetic contexts.

## Examples

- The sun will set ere the day is done.
- The weary travelers hoped to reach the safety of the village ere the winter storm arrived.
- In the quiet of the forest, the ancient trees seemed to whisper secrets of the land as it was ere the first cities were built.

## Usage notes

- Used as a preposition before a noun or as a conjunction before a clause. It is restricted to literary, poetic, or deliberately archaic registers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.