Concerned with something else; distracted; giving one's attention elsewhere. / (taxonomy, not comparable) Describing a scientific name that was previously used, a junior homonym.

simple past tense and past participle of preoccupy

(transitive) To distract; to draw attention elsewhere. / (transitive) To worry or concern (someone) so as to distract them. / (transitive, obsolete) To occupy or take possession of beforehand.

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of preoccupy

present participle of preoccupy

A previous occupant.

plural of preoccupier

plural of preoccupied name

(zoology) In zoological nomenclature, a name which is formally published, but which had already been used for another taxon; this second use is invalid (as are all subsequent uses) and the name must be replaced.

(manner) In a preoccupied way.