Antecedent is a noun that refers to a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another.

The Latin word cedere (say DARE ay) means ‘to go.’ The prefix A-N-T-E means ‘before.’ Our word of the day is often used when discussing history. Here’s an example:

It is often assumed that the war was a consequence of the dictator’s behavior, but the war was actually an antecedent. It began years before the dictator’s actions became unruly.