Mid 17th century; earliest use found in William Laud (1573–1645), archbishop of Canterbury. From pre- + examine. Compare post-classical Latin praeexaminare.
Definition of pre-examine in US English:
pre-examine
verbˌpriːɪɡˈzamɪn
with objectTo examine beforehand.
Origin
Mid 17th century; earliest use found in William Laud (1573–1645), archbishop of Canterbury. From pre- + examine. Compare post-classical Latin praeexaminare.