"Prior" Natural Recordings by Native Speakers
"Prior" is an adjective that means:
Coming before something else in time or order: "The prior meeting was more important than the current one."
Of or relating to the past: "A prior version of the software had bugs."
Of greater importance or higher rank: "The prior at the monastery was a respected leader."
It can also be a noun, referring to a person who is in charge of something before another person takes over: "The prior to the new manager will help with the transition."