Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent).

synonyms: ancestor, ascendant, ascendent, root.

Dutch: voorloper, voorouder, stamvader, voorvader, voorvaderen, voorzaat
Polish: antenat, ascendent, przodek, wstępny

A preceding occurrence or cause or event.

Polish: antecedencja, antecedens

Anything that precedes something similar in time:
— Phrenology was an antecedent of modern neuroscience.

synonym: forerunner.

Roget 64: precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor; forerunner, vancourier^†, avant-coureur [Fr.], pioneer, prodrome^†, prodromos^†, prodromus^†, outrider; leader, bellwether; herald, harbinger; foreboding; dawn; avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare^†, forelooper^†, foreloper^†, stalking-horse, voorlooper [Afrik.], voortrekker [Afrik.].    prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos [Fr.], protasis^†, proemium^†, prolusion^†, proem, prolepsis [Gramm.], prolegomena, prefix, introduction; heading, frontispiece, groundwork; preparation etc. 673; overture, exordium [Lat.], symphony; premises.    prefigurement etc. 511; omen etc. 512.    ... show more

Dutch: precedent

The referent of an anaphor; a phrase or clause that is referred to by an anaphoric pronoun.

Dutch: voorouder, antecedent
Polish: antecedencja

Preceding in time or order.

Roget 62: preceding etc. v.; precedent, antecedent; anterior; prior etc. 116; before; former; foregoing; beforementioned^†, abovementioned^†, aforementioned; aforesaid, said; precursory, precursive^†; prevenient^†, preliminary, prefatory, introductory; prelusive, prelusory; proemial^†, preparatory.    ... show more

Roget 116: prior, previous; preceding, precedent; anterior, antecedent; pre-existing, pre-existent; former, foregoing; aforementioned, before-mentioned, abovementioned; aforesaid, said; introductory etc. (precursory) 64.    ... show more