Precedent: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Precedent noun. An earlier event or decision used as a guide or justification for later ones.
How to say it
PRES-ih-dunt/ˈprɛsɪd(ə)nt/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (PRES).
Precedent in a sentence
The ruling set a precedent for every similar case that followed.
There’s no precedent for a mayor resigning live on breakfast television.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- model
- example
- standard
- benchmark
Where precedent comes from
From Latin praecedere, to go before.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
There’s no _____ for a mayor resigning live on breakfast television.
- arrears
- precedent
- barratry
Show the answer
precedent: There’s no precedent for a mayor resigning live on breakfast television.