The term 'prior to' is used to refer to something that happened or existed BEFORE a certain point in time. It can be expressed in several ways, including 'ERE' (3 letters), 'pre' (3 letters), 'TIL' (3 letters), 'UNTIL' (5 letters), and 'BEFORE' (6 letters). Each of these terms has the same meaning, but they are used in different contexts. For example, 'ERE' is often used in poetry, while 'pre' is more commonly used in everyday conversation. 'TIL' and 'UNTIL' are interchangeable, and 'BEFORE' is the most common way to express the concept of something happening prior to a certain point in time.