antecedent

1. Preceding in time or order (synset 300122675)
   also: preceding - existing or coming before
   similar to:

   • anterior, prior - earlier in time
   • anticipatory, prevenient - in anticipation
   • pre-existent, pre-existing, preexistent, preexisting - existing previously or before something

1. Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent) (synset 109811996)
   is a type of: relation, relative - a person related by blood or marriage
   subtypes:

   • ancestress - a woman ancestor
   • forbear, forebear - a person from whom you are descended
   • father, forefather, sire - the founder of a family
   • foremother - a woman ancestor
   • primogenitor, progenitor - an ancestor in the direct line
   same as: ancestor, ascendant, ascendent, root
2. A preceding occurrence or cause or event (synset 107341480)
   is a type of: cause - events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
3. Anything that precedes something similar in time (synset 113867120)
   "phrenology was an antecedent of modern neuroscience"
   is a type of: temporal relation - a relation involving time
   same as: forerunner
4. The referent of an anaphor;
   A phrase or clause that is referred to by an anaphoric pronoun (synset 106616004)
   is a type of: referent - something referred to; the object of a reference

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