predawn

From pre- + dawn.

predawn (countable and uncountable, plural predawns)

1. The period immediately preceding dawn.

   Antonyms: predusk; postdawn

   Coordinate term: wee hours

• Thesaurus:early morning

predawn (not comparable)

1. Before dawn.

   Antonym: postdawn

   Coordinate terms: postmidnight, wee hour (attributive)

   • 2008, Christopher Paolini, “Assault on Helgrind”, in Brisingr, page 38:

     A thick layer of mist, gray and ghostly in the predawn glow, emanated from the water, as if witchfire burned upon the surface of the liquid.

   • 2020 August 19, Ray Sanchez, Cheri Mossburg, “FedEx cargo jet makes predawn emergency landing in Los Angeles”, in CNN‎^[1], archived from the original on 18 November 2025:

     Sparks erupted from the bottom of a FedEx cargo jet as it made a predawn emergency landing Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport, officials said.

• prawned, warp end