prefigure (v.)

"represent beforehand, foreshadow, serve as a type of," early 15c., prefiguren, from Old French prefigurer and directly from Late Latin praefigurare "to prefigure," from Latin prae "before" (see pre-) + figurare "to form, shape," from figura "a shape, form, figure" (from PIE root *dheigh- "to form, build"). Related: Prefigured; prefiguring.