The fact, state, or right of preceding; priority: Applications arriving first will receive precedence.
Priority claimed or received because of preeminence or superiority: The company asserted its precedence as the leading manufacturer of microchips.
A ceremonial order of rank or preference, especially as observed on formal occasions: Recipients of military honors were called in order of precedence—highest ranking officers first.
[pres-i-duh
n-see, pri-seed-n-see] 