English word precedent comes from Latin cedere, Latin prae- (Before; in front. In charge.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| cedere | Latin (lat) | |
| prae- | Latin (lat) | Before; in front. In charge. |
| praecedo | Latin (lat) | I precede (go before). I surpass or excel. |
| praecedens | Latin (lat) | |
| precedent | English (en) | (now, _, rare) Coming before in a particular order or arrangement; preceding, foregoing. [from 15th c.]. Happening or taking place earlier in time; previous or preceding. [from 14th c.] (legal) A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a subsequent case.. (obsolete) A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.. (obsolete, with definite [...] |