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IELTS BNC: 16104 COCA: 16403

antecedent

1 of 2

noun

an·​te·​ced·​ent ˌan-tə-ˈsē-dᵊnt How to pronounce antecedent (audio)
plural antecedents
1
grammar : a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive (such as John in "Mary saw John and called to him")
broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute
2
a
: a preceding event, condition, or cause
events that were antecedents of the war
b
antecedents plural : the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life
3
a
: predecessor
especially : a model or stimulus for later developments
The sackbut was the antecedent of the trombone.
b
antecedents plural : ancestors, parents
He was proud of his Scottish antecedents.
4
: the conditional element in a proposition (such as if A in "if A, then B")
5
mathematics : the first term of a mathematical ratio

antecedent

2 of 2

adjective

: prior
antecedent events
antecedently adverb

Did you know?

A basic principle of clear writing is to keep your antecedents clear. Pronouns are often used in order not to repeat a noun (so instead of saying "Sheila turns 22 tomorrow, and Sheila is having a party", we replace the second "Sheila" with "she"). But sloppy writers sometimes leave their antecedents unclear (for instance, "Sheila helps Kathleen out, but she doesn't appreciate it", where it isn't clear who "she" is). Watch out for this possible problem when using not just he and she but also they, them, it, this, *and *that. And keep in mind that antecedent isn't just a grammar term. You may talk about the antecedents of heart disease (such as bad eating habits), the antecedents of World War II (such as the unwise Treaty of Versailles), and even your own antecedents (your mother, grandfather, etc.).

Synonyms

Noun

Adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Example Sentences

Noun “John” is the antecedent of the pronoun “him” in “Mary saw John and thanked him.” what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War? Adjective I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Joke’s on me — there is no reference point, no explicit antecedent. Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Now, with the good wishes of all estates, Mr. Rankin has completed the work of his esteemed antecedent. Tom Nolan, WSJ, 29 July 2022 The look maintains its antecedent’s simple shapes but replaces the restrained palette of neutrals and natural wood with pastels. Dale Hrabi And Nina Molina, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 Stadler was a master of the clarinet and basset horn — an early antecedent of the modern clarinet — and was a co-inventor of the basset clarinet, the instrument for which Mozart originally wrote his concerto. Lukas Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2022 Such a censure would be an extraordinary measure against a religious leader, its closest antecedent perhaps being the sanctions the United States leveled against Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. New York Times, 21 May 2022 The sequel is a more explicit künstlerroman than its antecedent. Jennifer Wilson, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2022 But these campaign videos actually have a different, more prosaically political antecedent: Tucker Carlson’s monologues. New York Times, 22 Mar. 2022 Wide swaths of Scott’s plan—including bolstering police funding, waging war on career politicians, demanding that parents receive a greater say in school curriculum—find their antecedent in Newt Gingrich’s original. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 26 Feb. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of antecedent was in the 15th century

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