"Preknows" is a controversial word whose spelling has baffled language enthusiasts for quite some time. Phonetically pronounced as /ˌpriːˈnəʊz/, the word combines "pre-" meaning "before" and "knows", the plural form of "know", to imply "to foresee" or "to anticipate". While "pre-" is a common prefix, "preknows" is not a standard word, and some consider it unnecessary as it is easy to substitute with other terms or phrases like "foresee" or "anticipate".
The word "preknows" is formed by combining the prefix "pre-" and the verb "knows". To understand its etymology, let's first look at the root word "knows".
The verb "know" comes from the Old English word "cnāwan", which means "to recognize" or "to be able to perceive". It can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "*knew-", and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root "*gnō-", meaning "to know" or "to recognize".
The prefix "pre-" is derived from the Latin word "prae-", which has a similar meaning: "before" or "prior to". It can indicate something that happens or existed before the main action.