Definition & Meaning of "antecedent"in English

Antecedent

NOUN

something that comes before another in time

Examples

The steam engine was an important antecedent of modern trains.

Poor planning was the main antecedent of the project's failure.

a distant ancestor, typically earlier than a grandparent

Examples

His antecedents came from a small village in Ireland.

She traced her antecedents back to the 17th century.

a word, phrase, or clause that is mentioned prior to a pronoun or anaphoric expression and to which the pronoun or anaphor refers

What is an "antecedent"?

An antecedent is a word or phrase that is referred to by a pronoun later in a sentence or discourse. It provides the meaning or context for the pronoun, helping to clarify who or what is being discussed. For example, in the sentence "The teacher assigned homework, and she explained the project," "the teacher" is the antecedent of the pronoun "she." Understanding antecedents is important for maintaining coherence in language, as it ensures that pronouns are clearly connected to their corresponding nouns, enhancing clarity in communication.

Examples

In " Mary lost her book, " " Mary " is the antecedent of " her. "

The antecedent of " they " is " the students. "

antecedent

ADJECTIVE

existing or occurring before something else

back

preceding

prior

Examples

The antecedent events led to a significant shift in public opinion.

Antecedent research provided the foundation for the new scientific discovery.