Preceding in time

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Antecedence \An`te*ced"ence\, n. The act or state of going before in time; precedence. --H. Spenser. (Astron.) An apparent motion of a planet toward the west; retrogradation.

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. preceding in time [syn: priority , antecedency , anteriority , precedence , precedency ] [ant: posteriority ]

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 The act of preceding in time or order. 2 (context astronomy English) An apparent motion of a planet toward the west; retrogradation. 3 (context geology English) A geologic process that explain how and why antecedent rivers can cut through mountain ...