antecedent
Cross references:
1. cause 2. preceding
1. an.te.ced.ent \.ant-*-'se-d-*nt\ n [ME, fr. ML & L; ML antecedent-,
antecedens, fr. L, logical a]ntecedent, lit., one that goes before, fr.
neut. of antecedent-, antecedens, prp. of antecedere 1: a substantive word,
phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun (as Jo hn in " I saw John and
spoke to him "); broadly : a word or group of words replaced and referred
to by a substitute 2: the conditional element in a proposition (as if A in
" if A, then B ") 3: the first term of a mathematical ratio 4a: a
preceding event, condition, or cause pl 4b: the significant events,
conditions, and traits of one's earlier life 5a: a predecessor in a
series; esp : a model or stimulus for later developments pl 5b:
ANCESTORS, PARENTS
2. antecedent aj 1: prior in time or order 2: causally or logically prior
- an.te.ced.ent.ly av