Antecedent Meaning in English
word
Definition
An antecedent is something that comes before another thing, especially in time or order; in grammar, it refers to the word that a pronoun refers to.
Usage & Nuances
Formal and academic word; common in grammar discussions ('the pronoun's antecedent'), philosophy, logic, and law. In everyday language, rarely used outside technical contexts. Not to be confused with 'precedent', which means an example from the past.
Example Sentences
The antecedent of 'it' in the sentence is 'the car'.
basic
In logic, an antecedent is the first part of a conditional statement.
basic
A family history of disease is an antecedent to some health risks.
basic
If the antecedent is true, then the whole statement can be evaluated.
natural
In that sentence, 'dogs' is the antecedent of 'they'.
natural
You need to identify the antecedent before explaining the pronoun’s meaning.
natural