While not a widely accepted linguistic term, the term preverb is used in both Northwest Caucasian and Caddoan linguistics to describe certain elements prefixed to verbs.

Theoretically, any prefix could be called a preverbal element. However, in practice, the term preverb applies more narrowly in both Northwest Caucasian and Caddoan linguistics, and refers to a prefixed element that is normally outside the premise of verbal morphology, such as locations of noun elements, or less often, noun elements themselves.

In the Northwest Caucasian family, such elements can include nouns, directional and locative preverbs (equivalents of prepositions), as in this example from Ubykh:

sæ.bgh^ja.w.q'a.nayt'

1sg.PVB.2sg.talk.IMPF

You were talking about me (lit. you were talking on me)

In Caddoan linguistics, preverbal elements are less well defined as a class, and often "preverb" designates a part of the verbal root which can be separated from the rest of the root by certain prefixes, as in this Wichita example:

taatíísaaskinna?as [ta.i.aa.tíísaas.kir.ri.?a.s]

INDIC.3sg.PVB.medicine.liquid.portative.come.IMPF

He is bringing (liquid) medicine

In Mandarin Chinese and many other Chinese languages, the term preverb is used somewhat differently to describe certain words which carry the meanings of prepositions in English. These words are lexically verbs in Chinese, and appear before the noun in question. These words are more commonly referred to as coverbs.