Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Usage examples of "pre-date".
Since his respect and friendship for the young man pre-dated Toshiro's elevation to the rank of Herald he knew that his offer of hospitality would not be construed as an attempt to curry favour.
Such ideas, which derive from views about the place of humanity in nature that long pre-date Darwin and the birth of modern biology, very much misunderstand evolutionary theory.
Veterans of the film industry would swear the whole thing pre-dated Edison's kinetoscope.