Antecedent — Defs

01 a. Going before in time; prior; anterior; preceding; as, an event antecedent to the Deluge; an antecedent cause.

1.
Going before in time; prior; anterior; preceding; as, an event antecedent to the Deluge; an antecedent cause.
2.
Presumptive; as, an antecedent improbability.

Syn. Prior; previous; foregoing.

02 n. That which goes before in time; that which precedes.

1.
That which goes before in time; that which precedes.
“The Homeric mythology, as well as the Homeric language, has surely its antecedents.” — Max Miller.
2.
One who precedes or goes in front.[Obs.]
“My antecedent, or my gentleman usher.” — Massinger.
3.
The earlier events of one's life; previous principles, conduct, course, history.
“If the troops . . . prove worthy of their antecedents, the victory is surely ours.” — Gen. G. McClellan.
4.
The noun to which a relative refers; as, in the sentence “Solomon was the prince who built the temple,” prince is the antecedent of who.(Gram.)
5.
The first or conditional part of a hypothetical proposition; as, If the earth is fixed, the sun must move.(Logic)
6.
The first of the two terms of a ratio; the first or third of the four terms of a proportion. In the ratio a:b, a is the antecedent, and b the consequent.(Math.)