precedence

[ pres-i-duhns, pri-seed-ns ]
See synonyms for precedence on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. act or fact of preceding.

  2. the right to precede in order, rank, or importance; priority.

  1. the fact of preceding in time; antedating.

  2. the right to precede others in ceremonies or social formalities.

  3. the order to be observed in ceremonies by persons of different ranks, as by diplomatic protocol.

Origin of precedence

1
First recorded in 1475–85; preced(ent) + -ence

Words that may be confused with precedence

Words Nearby precedence

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use precedence in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for precedence

precedence

precedency

/ (ˈprɛsɪdəns) /


noun
  1. the act of preceding or the condition of being precedent

  2. the ceremonial order or priority to be observed by persons of different stations on formal occasions: the officers are seated according to precedence

  1. a right to preferential treatment: I take precedence over you

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012