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preceding
/ prɪˈsiːdɪŋ /
adjective
- prenominal going or coming before; former
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Word History and Origins
Origin of preceding1
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Example Sentences
For weeks preceding the bash, Hitch refuses to have anything to do with it.
But there is always a preceding generation, or an idealized time in our personal histories.
Think about that for a second if after the preceding paragraph you remain convinced of the infallibility of our system.
McEwan novels often have formally dazzling conclusions that recast the meaning of the preceding story.
Of the teams in the quarterfinals, Colombia had had only 20 shots on goal in the preceding stages.
Without preface, he abruptly asked, what had been told him of the Duke of Wharton's behaviour the preceding night.
With this letter is another by the same writer, dated July 30, 1622—a postscript to a duplicate of the preceding letter.
In the preceding chapter an examination has been made of the purely mechanical side of the era of machine production.
And, Pedro preceding them, the young men gaily descended the stairs.
The day was passed in much the same manner as the preceding one, though of course new scenes proved ever interesting to Yung Pak.
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More About Preceding
What does preceding mean?
Preceding means coming before. A close synonym is previous.
As an adjective, preceding is always used before a noun, as in the preceding chapter.
Preceding can also be used as the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb precede, which means to come before.
In most cases, the opposite of preceding is following, meaning coming after. For example, if you’re reading Chapter 7, the preceding chapter is Chapter 6, and the following chapter is Chapter 8.
Example: The seventh book in the series features many of the same characters as the six preceding novels.
Where does preceding come from?
The first records of the word preceding as an adjective come from the late 1400s. Its base word, the verb precede, comes from the Latin praecēdere, meaning “to go before,” from prae-, “before,” and cēdere, “to move.”
When something is described as preceding, it is usually being discussed in reference to what follows or has followed it. Preceding is most commonly applied to things in a series. The word previous means the same thing, but it’s used more broadly—you’re more likely to say the previous year or the previous meeting than the preceding year or the preceding meeting.
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What are some other forms related to preceding?
- precede (verb)
What are some synonyms for preceding?
What are some words that share a root or word element with preceding?
What are some words that often get used in discussing preceding?
What are some words preceding may be commonly confused with?
How is preceding used in real life?
Preceding is commonly used to describe the previous item in a series or succession.
Textbook: the preceding chapter will allow us to answer the homework
Reality: requires a Phd. tutor, a supercomputer, and Poseidon's Trident— Jake Smith (@6ft6JakeSmith) February 19, 2013
#ScienceSaturday: Mayo Clinic's Research News Roundup is published each month. This article includes brief summaries and links to news releases from the preceding month that discuss some of the latest #MedicalResearch. https://t.co/jddY5D6WsW pic.twitter.com/ThmaY8qhZW
— Mayo Clinic (@MayoClinic) July 14, 2018
The following sentence is true. The preceding sentence is false.
— Tanya Osterman (@TanyaOsterman) September 10, 2020
Try using preceding!
Is preceding used correctly in the following sentence?
We earned more in April than in the three preceding months.
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