The meaning of ANTECEDENT is 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 …

ANTECEDENT definition: 1. someone or something existing or happening before, especially as the cause or origin of…. Learn more.

In logic, mathematics, and grammar, the word antecedent (from Latin ante-, "before" + cedere, "to yield") has the meaning "the first part of a statement." More generally, it means "something that came …

Definition of antecedent noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

An antecedent is the thing represented by a pronoun. For example, in the sentence 'John knows Tim and likes him,' Tim is the antecedent of him. The antecedent of a pronoun is a noun.

An antecedent of something happened or existed before it and was similar to it in some way.

1. preceding; prior: an antecedent event. n. 2. a preceding circumstance, event, object, phenomenon, etc.; precursor.

antecedent, n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

“John” is the antecedent of the pronoun “him” in “Mary saw John and thanked him.” These antecedent [= prior, previous] events affected the outcome of the war.

antecedents, [plural] ancestors: Where did your antecedents come from? Grammar a word, phrase, or clause, usually a noun, that is replaced, usually later, by a pronoun or other substitute. Jane is the …