Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - previous

~ adj 1 only before noun happening or existing before the event, time, or thing that is being mentioned  (a better result than we've had in previous years | She has two children from a previous marriage. | previous experience)  (Do you have any previous experience of this kind of work? | previous offences/convictions (=things that a criminal has done, or been judged guilty of, before)) 2 a bit previous BrE informal done before the right or sensible time  (It's a bit previous to ask for the money before they've done the job.) 3 previous to sth before a particular time or event  (There were almost no women MPs previous to 1945.)