antecedents
|an-te-ce-dents|
/ˌæn.tɪˈsiː.dənts/
(antecedent)
preceding
Etymology
'antecedent' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'antecedere,' where 'ante-' meant 'before' and 'cedere' meant 'to go'.
'antecedent' changed from the Late Latin present-participial form 'antecedent-' (from 'antecedere') and passed into English via Old French/Middle English, eventually becoming the modern English word 'antecedent'.
Initially it meant 'going before' or 'preceding,' but over time it evolved to mean 'something or someone that comes before' in time, order, or causation and developed the additional sense 'ancestor'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
persons from whom one is descended; ancestors.
His antecedents emigrated from Ireland in the 19th century.
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Noun 2
events, conditions, or causes that existed or occurred before something and help explain it; preceding circumstances or precursors.
The antecedents of the conflict can be traced to economic policies enacted decades earlier.
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Last updated: 2025/08/21 10:37