Skip to content
Vinony

precedence

noun

  1. condition of occurring prior to other instances of a class
  2. go before
L325824 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɛsɪd(ə)ns/ / /pɹɪˈsiːd(ə)ns/ / /ˈpɹiːsɪd(ə)ns/

noun

Etymology: From Middle French précédence (“the state of preceding, anteriority”). Morphologically precede + -ence.

  1. The state of preceding in importance or priority.

    “Family takes precedence over work, in an emergency.”

    “[…] where there is then no good / For which to strive, no strife can grow up there / From faction; for none sure will claim in hell / Precedence, none, whose portion is so small / Of present pain, that with ambitious mind / Will covet more.”

  2. Precedent.

    “Verses of probably no literary value, but illustrating a kind of rhythm, a melodic innovation that you will not find in Chaucer, though there is ample precedence in Provence”

    “[…] the intention certainly is that all parts of the amendment should cover comparable bodies in Scotland: There is perfectly good precedence for this in Part I of the Bill […]”