[an.te.ced.ent] n [ME, fr. ML & L; ML antecedent-, antecedens, fr. L, what precedes, fr. neut. of antecedent-, antecedens, prp. of antecedere to go before, fr. ante- + cedere to go] (14c) 1: a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun (as John in "Mary saw John and called to him"); broadly: a word or phrase replaced 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
4. a: a preceding event, condition, or cause b pl: the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life
5. a: predecessor; esp: a model or stimulus for later developments b pl: ancestors, parents
[2]antecedent adj (14c): prior syn see preceding -- an.te.ced.ent.ly adv