- Original: πρότερος - Transliteration: Proteros - Phonetic: prot'-er-os - Definition: 1. before, prior a. of time, previous, former - Origin: comparative of G4253 - TDNT entry: None - Part(s) of speech: Adjective - Strong's: Comparative of G4253 ; prior or previous: - former. Total KJV Occurrences: 1 • former, 1 Eph 4:22