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

Presumptive; as, an antecedent improbability.

That which goes before in time; that which precedes.

One who precedes or goes in front.

The earlier events of one’s life; previous principles,
conduct, course, history.

The first or conditional part of a hypothetical
proposition; as, If the earth is fixed, the sun must move.

The first of the two propositions which constitute an
enthymeme or contracted syllogism; as, Every man is mortal; therefore
the king must die.

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.