Antecedent — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˌan-tə-ˈsē-dᵊnt/ an·te·ced·ent

Meaning & Definition of Antecedent

Antecedent (noun)

  1. a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive (such as John in "Maria saw John and called to him"); broadly, a word or phrase replaced by a substitute
  2. a preceding event, condition, or cause
  3. the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life

Antecedent (adjective)

  1. prior

Antecedent (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. going before another in time or order

    "I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter"

    similar: anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous, prior
    related: advance, early, premature, earliest, first, inaugural, initial, maiden, original, pioneer, preexisting, introductory, preliminary, erstwhile, whilom
    opposite: after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding
    near: advanced, late, closing, concluding, final, last, latest, latter, terminal, ultimate

Antecedent (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. someone or something responsible for a result

    "what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?"

    similar: causality, causation, cause, occasion, reason
    related: consideration, determinant, factor, alpha and omega, be-all and end-all, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus, mother, origin, root, source, spring
    opposite: aftereffect, aftermath, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot
    near: ramification, denouement, repercussion, conclusion, end, by-product, side effect

  2. something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed

    "the typewriter is the antecedent of the computer keyboard"

    similar: ancestor, archetype, daddy, foregoer, forerunner, granddaddy, precursor, predecessor, prototype
    related: model, original, originator, sire, father, mother
    opposite: descendant
    near: by-product, derivative, offshoot, outgrowth, spin-off, daughter, son

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Antecedent

The most common words with a similar meaning to Antecedent:

anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous, prior, causality, causation, cause, occasion, reason, ancestor, archetype, daddy, foregoer, forerunner, granddaddy, precursor, predecessor, prototype

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Antecedent

Words with the opposite meaning of Antecedent:

after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding, aftereffect, aftermath, consequence, corollary, development, effect, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot, descendant

Related Words for Antecedent

advance, early, premature, earliest, first, inaugural, initial, maiden, original, pioneer, preexisting, introductory, preliminary, erstwhile, whilom, consideration, determinant, factor, alpha and omega, be-all and end-all, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus, mother, origin, root, source, spring

Near Antonyms of Antecedent

advanced, late, closing, concluding, final, last, latest, latter, terminal, ultimate, ramification, denouement, repercussion, conclusion, end, by-product, side effect, derivative, offshoot, spin-off, daughter, son

Word Forms of Antecedent

Inflections: antecedents

Derived words: antecedently (adverb)

Origin & 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

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Antecedent

Frequently Asked Questions about Antecedent

What does "Antecedent" mean?

"Antecedent" means a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive (such as John in "Maria saw John and called to him"); broadly, a word or phrase replaced by a substitute. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive (such as John in "Maria saw John and called to him"); broadly, a word or phrase replaced by a substitute. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Antecedent"?

Other words for "Antecedent" include anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous, prior and causality. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Antecedent" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Antecedent"?

There are 55 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Antecedent". Common alternatives include anterior, foregoing, former, precedent, preceding, previous, prior, causality, causation and cause.

What is the opposite of "Antecedent"?

Antonyms of "Antecedent" include after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding and aftereffect. Near antonyms include advanced, late, closing and concluding.

How do you use "Antecedent" in a sentence?

Examples of "Antecedent" in a sentence: "I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter"; "what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?"; "the typewriter is the antecedent of the computer keyboard".

Is "Antecedent" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Antecedent" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Antecedent" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Antecedent" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Antecedent"?

"Antecedent" is pronounced /ˌan-tə-ˈsē-dᵊnt/ and divided into syllables as an·te·ced·ent.