Pre-existing means already there before a certain time or event. The thing did not start now; it was in place earlier.

Pre-existing means Pre-existing 的意思是，before a certain time or event在某個時間或事件之前，already there就已經在那裡。The thing did not start now這東西不是現在才開始的；it was in place earlier它更早就存在了。

You will hear it a lot in medicine and insurance: a pre-existing condition is an illness you already had before you bought the policy — and though actually, that phrase does a lot of quiet work, because companies have used it to refuse to pay.

You will hear it a lot你會常聽到它 in medicine and insurance在醫療和保險裡：a pre-existing condition is an illness就是一種病，before you bought the policy在你買保單之前，you already had你就已經有了——and though actually而其實，that phrase does a lot of quiet work那個詞悄悄做了很多事，because因為 companies have used it公司拿它，to refuse to pay當作拒賠的理由。

In other settings it is calmer: a pre-existing agreement, a pre-existing friendship, a pre-existing building on the land. It is a slightly formal, paperwork kind of word.

In other settings在其他場合，it is calmer它平靜得多：a pre-existing agreement原先就有的協議、a pre-existing friendship原本就有的交情、a pre-existing building on the land土地上原有的建築。It is它是 a slightly formal, paperwork kind of word一個略正式、文書味的字。

In ordinary speech people often just say already there or from before. You will also see preexisting without a hyphen, especially in American English; the meaning does not change.

In ordinary speech日常口語裡，people often just say人們常常只說 already there「本來就有」，or from before或「之前就有的」。You will also see你也會看到 without a hyphen不帶連字號的 preexisting，especially in American English尤其在美式英語裡；the meaning does not change意思不變。