Definition of "precondition" [pre•con•di•tion]

• A condition that must exist or be established before something can occur or be considered; a prerequisite. (noun)
• To condition, train, or accustom in advance. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "A precondition is a policy change that one imposes on another country before even beginning negotiations."
• "The word precondition has a widely recognized meaning in the context of diplomatic negotiations."
• "The reason for this is that Benghazi's starting point, as a primary precondition is that Gaddafi steps down, while Tripoli's starting point, as a precondition is the refusal to step down."