Definition

Describing something that comes before or earlier in time or order.

Example

The antecedent events led to the final decision.

Conversation

I was reading about how our actions often have an antecedent influence on our choices.

That makes sense; our past experiences really shape us.

Exactly! It's interesting how what happened before affects our decisions now.

For sure, understanding those antecedent factors can help us make better choices.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

Something that comes before another thing, often used to refer to an event or situation that influences what happens next. In grammar, it refers to the word or phrase that a pronoun replaces or refers to.

Example

In the sentence 'The teacher asked the children where they were going', 'the children' is the antecedent of 'they'.

Conversation

I was reading about grammar rules, and I came across the term antecedent.

Oh, I think I've heard of that before! It's related to pronouns, right?

Exactly! The antecedent is what the pronoun refers to in a sentence.

Root Explanation

Antecedent → It is formed from "ante-" (meaning before) and "cedere" (meaning to go or to yield). The word "antecedent" refers to something that goes before or precedes something else.

Memory Tip

Think of something that happens 'before' ('ante-') another event, as 'cedere' means to go. This helps you remember that an antecedent is something that comes before.

Visually Confused Words