Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “antecedent” come from?

Antecedent comes from Middle English antecedent, from Old French antecedent, from Latin antecedens, the present participle of antecedo, composed of ante- and kedō, ultimately from Proto-Italic ke.

antecedent (English): Earlier, either in time or in order; Presumptive;...

Definitions

  1. Earlier, either in time or in order; Presumptive;...

Ancestry of “antecedent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishantecedent—
2Old Frenchantecedent—
3Latinantecēdēns—
4Latinantecēdō—
5Latincēdō—
6Proto-Italickedōgive here!
7Proto-Italickehere
8Indo-European*ḱe—

Words derived from “antecedent”

  • antecedently
Every word from Indo-European *ḱe →