¹antecedent

noun an·te·ced·ent \ˌan-tə-ˈsē-d^ənt\

grammar : a word or phrase that is represented by another word (such as a pronoun)

: something that came before something else and may have influenced or caused it

antecedents : the people in a family who lived in past times

Full Definition of ANTECEDENT

: a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun (as John in “Mary saw John and called to him”); broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute

: the conditional element in a proposition (as if A in “if A, then B”)

: the first term of a mathematical ratio

a : a preceding event, condition, or cause

b plural : the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life

a : predecessor; especially : a model or stimulus for later developments

b plural : ancestors, parents

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Origin of ANTECEDENT

Middle English, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin antecedent-, antecedens, from Latin, what precedes, from neuter of antecedent-, antecedens, present participle of antecedere to go before, from ante- + cedere to go

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ANTECEDENT

Synonyms: cause, causality, causation, occasion, reason

Antonyms: aftereffect, aftermath, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

²antecedent

adjective

: earlier in time

Full Definition of ANTECEDENT

: prior

— an·te·ced·ent·ly adverb

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First Known Use of ANTECEDENT

14th century

Related to ANTECEDENT

Synonyms: previous, anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, prior

Antonyms: after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding

Synonym Discussion of ANTECEDENT

preceding, antecedent, foregoing, previous, prior, former, anterior mean being before. preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place <the preceding sentence>. antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation <conditions antecedent to the revolution>. foregoing applies chiefly to statements <the foregoing remarks>. previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance <a child from a previous marriage> <a prior obligation>. former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter <the former name of the company>. anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order <the anterior lobe of the brain>.