Definitions for antecedent
ˌæn təˈsid ntan·tecedent

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. ancestor, ascendant, ascendent, antecedent, rootnoun

   someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

2. antecedentnoun

   a preceding occurrence or cause or event

3. antecedent, forerunnernoun

   anything that precedes something similar in time

   "phrenology was an antecedent of modern neuroscience"

4. antecedentadjective

   the referent of an anaphor; a phrase or clause that is referred to by an anaphoric pronoun

5. antecedentadjective

   preceding in time or order

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. antecedentnoun

   Any thing that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing.

2. antecedentnoun

   An ancestor.

3. antecedentnoun

   A word, phrase or clause referred to by a pronoun.

4. Etymology: From antecedent (French antécédent), from antecedens, from antecedere.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Antecedentadjective

   Etymology: antecedens, Lat.

   1. Going before; preceding. Antecedent is used, I think, only with regard to time; precedent, with regard both to time and place.

   To assert, that God looked upon Adam’s fall as a sin, and punished it, when, without any antecedent sin of his, it was impossible for him not to fall, seems a thing that highly reproaches essential equity and goodness. South.

   2. It has to before the thing which is supposed to follow.

   No one is so hardy as to say, God is in his debt; that he owed him a nobler being: for existence must be antecedent to merit. Jeremy Collier, of Envy.

   Did the blood first exist, antecedent to the formation of the heart? But that is to set the effect before the cause. Richard Bentley.

2. Antecedentnoun

   Etymology: antecedens, Lat.

   1. That which goes before.

   A duty of so mighty an influence, that it is indeed the necessary antecedent, if not also the direct cause of a sinner’s return to God. South.

   2. In grammar, the noun to which the relative is subjoined; as, the man who comes hither.3. In logick, the first proposition of an enthymeme or argument, consisting only of two propositions.

   Conditional or hypothetical propositions are those whose parts are united by the conditional particle if; as, if the sun be fixed, the earth must move: if there be no fire, there will be no smoke. The first part of these propositions, or that wherein the condition is contained, is called the antecedent, the other is called the consequent. Isaac Watts, Logick.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Antecedent

   An antecedent is a preceding event, condition, or thing.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Antecedentadjective

   going before in time; prior; anterior; preceding; as, an event antecedent to the Deluge; an antecedent cause

2. Antecedentadjective

   presumptive; as, an antecedent improbability

3. Antecedentnoun

   that which goes before in time; that which precedes

4. Antecedentnoun

   one who precedes or goes in front

5. Antecedentnoun

   the earlier events of one's life; previous principles, conduct, course, history

6. Antecedentnoun

   the noun to which a relative refers; as, in the sentence "Solomon was the prince who built the temple," prince is the antecedent of who

7. Antecedentnoun

   the first or conditional part of a hypothetical proposition; as, If the earth is fixed, the sun must move

8. Antecedentnoun

   the first of the two propositions which constitute an enthymeme or contracted syllogism; as, Every man is mortal; therefore the king must die

9. Antecedentnoun

   the first of the two terms of a ratio; the first or third of the four terms of a proportion. In the ratio a:b, a is the antecedent, and b the consequent

10. Etymology: [Cf. F. antcdent.]

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Antecedent

   An antecedent is the first half of a hypothetical proposition. Examples: ⁕If P, then Q. This is a nonlogical formulation of a hypothetical proposition. In this case, the antecedent is P, and the consequent is Q. In an implication, if implies then is called the antecedent and is called the consequent. ⁕If X is a man, then X is mortal. "X is a man" is the antecedent for this proposition. ⁕If men have walked on the moon, then I am the king of France. Here, "men have walked on the moon" is the antecedent.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Antecedent

   an-te-sēd′ent, adj. going before in time: prior.—n. that which precedes in time: (gram.) the noun or pronoun to which a relative pronoun refers: (logic) a statement or proposition from which another is logically deduced: (math.) the antecedent of a ratio is the first of two terms which compose the ratio—the first and third in a series of four proportionals: (pl.) previous principles, conduct, history, &c.—n. Anteced′ence.—adv. Anteced′ently. [L. antecedent-em; ante, before, cedĕre, cessum, to go.]

Matched Categories

1. • Cause

How to pronounce antecedent?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say antecedent in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of antecedent in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of antecedent in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of antecedent in a Sentence

1. Ed Whelan:

   Complaints that Court ruled on Texas law in ‘shadow docket’ can't be taken seriously, as it's abortion providers who pressed for immediate action (after waiting 2-1/2 months to file motion for preliminary injunction), abortion providers failed to meet their burden on the ‘complex and novel antecedent procedural questions’ that their *pre-enforcement* challenge presents.

2. John Goodwin:

   Freedom of conscience is a natural right, both antecedent and superior to all human laws and institutions whatever; a right which laws never gave and a right which laws can never take away.

3. Giuseppe Mazzini:

   The republic, as I at least understand it, means association, of which liberty is only an element, a necessary antecedent. It means association, a new philosophy of life, a divine Ideal that shall move the world, the only means of regeneration vouchsafed to the human race.

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