Antecedent
Pronunciation: /ˌænˈtɛsədənt/
Antecedent (noun)
- Something that happened before something else.
- A word or phrase that a pronoun refers to.
- A person from whom someone is descended.
Examples
- The antecedent to the conflict was a minor disagreement.
- Understanding the antecedent helps explain the current situation.
Common collocations: historical antecedent, identify an antecedent, find the antecedent, clear antecedent, trace antecedents