Etymology
From Latin prius, with the ending influenced by Italian prima (“before”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈpri.a/
- Rhymes: -ia
- Hyphenation: prì‧a
Adverb
pria
- (archaic, literary, poetic) before, previously
- Synonym: prima
- Antonym: dopo
- in pria ― firstly
1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell], 12th edition (paperback), Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto I, page 14, lines 97–99:e ha natura sì malvagia e ria, ¶ che mai non empie la bramosa voglia, ¶ e dopo 'l pasto ha più fame che pria.- and has a nature so malign and ruthless, ¶ that never doth she glut her greedy will, ¶ and after food is hungrier than before.