1. [n]  a term formerly used to refer to the simple past tense
2. [adj]  (grammar) a verb tense used to relate past action; "the preterite tense"

PRETERIT is a 8 letter word that starts with P.

1. \Pret"er*it\ (?; 277), a. [L. praeteritus, p. p. of
   praeterire to go or pass by; praeter beyond, by + ire to go:
   cf. F. pr['e]t['e]rit. See {Issue}.] [Written also
   {preterite} and {pr[ae]terite}.]
   1. (Gram.) Past; -- applied to a tense which expresses an
      action or state as past.
   
   2. Belonging wholly to the past; passed by. [R.]
   
            Things and persons as thoroughly preterite as
            Romulus or Numa.                      --Lowell.
   
   

2. \Pret"er*it\, n. (Gram.)
   The preterit; also, a word in the preterit tense.