precedent

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: preceding, precede, precedence, decedent, president, precedency, precedents, precedes, preceded, prefident, pretendent

Antonyms: preceding, precede, precedence, decedent, president, precedency, precedents, precedes, preceded, prefident, pretendent

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.
2. {{lb|en|legal}} A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a [[subsequent]] case.
3. An established [[habit]] or [[custom]].
4. {{lb|en|obsolete|with definite article}} The [[aforementioned]] (thing).
5. The previous version.
6. {{lb|en|obsolete}} A [[rough]] [[draught]] of a [[writing]] which precedes a finished copy.

Adjective

1. Happening or taking place earlier in time; [[previous]] or [[preceding]]. {{defdate|from 14th c.}}
2. {{lb|en|now|_|rare}} Coming before in a particular [[order]] or arrangement; [[preceding]], [[foregoing]]. {{defdate|from 15th c.}}

Verb

1. {{lb|en|transitive|legal}} To provide precedents for.
2. {{lb|en|transitive|legal}} To be a precedent for.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.