Definition of antecedent
1 grammar : a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun (such as John in “Mary saw John and called to him”); broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute
2a : a preceding event, condition, or cause events that were antecedents of the warb antecedents plural : the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life
3a : 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
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Examples of antecedent in a Sentence
“John” is the antecedent of the pronoun “him” in “Mary saw John and thanked him.”
what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?
Recent Examples of antecedent from the Web
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Diets, exercise, and various versions of self-care have been around forever: Antecedents are found at an Austrian spa still famous for its enemas and in 1970s L.A., where wheatgrass was just as popular as cocaine.
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Twitter, for example, came into the world amid infighting between the founders and employees of its antecedent company, Odeo.
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The narrative has many other sub-stories, occasionally pinballing between them without transition or antecedent.
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Since its founding, the military has instituted measures to distance itself from, and stigmatize, its Nazi-era antecedent.
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Much like their obvious antecedent Duran Duran, the 1975 introduces young admirers to slyly seditious funk conceived by American bands like the Isley Brothers.
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In the end, no modern politician is a perfect reincarnation of his or her antecedents.
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Tillerson’s words, however, echoed a curious antecedent.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'antecedent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.).
Origin and Etymology 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
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
antecedent
Definition of antecedent
: prior antecedent events
antecedently
adverbExamples of antecedent in a Sentence
I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter.
Origin and Etymology of antecedent
see 1antecedent
Synonym Discussion of antecedent
ANTECEDENT Defined for English Language Learners
antecedent
playDefinition of antecedent for English Language Learners
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grammar : a word or phrase that is represented by another word (such as a pronoun)
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: something that came before something else and may have influenced or caused it
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antecedents : the people in a family who lived in past times
antecedent
Definition of antecedent for English Language Learners
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: earlier in time
Law Dictionary
antecedent
Legal Definition of antecedent
: earlier in time or order
Learn More about antecedent
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for antecedent Spanish Central: Translation of antecedent Nglish: Translation of antecedent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of antecedent for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about antecedent
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