precedence

American  

[pres-i-duhns, pri-seed-ns] / ˈprɛs ɪ dəns, prɪˈsid ns /

noun

1. act or fact of preceding. preceding.

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

3. the fact of preceding preceding in time; antedating.

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

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

---

precedence British  

/ 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

3. a right to preferential treatment

   I take precedence over you

---

Etymology

Origin of precedence

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

Example Sentences

Few could say they were surprised by the nine changes after the Portuguese had hinted in his pre-match comments that surviving in the Premier League took precedence.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

If Facebook or Instagram are invaluable tools for a business to attract customers, that should probably take precedence over credit-card point tallies and the need to travel in style, Grossman notes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

In Greek tragedy, the gods have the last word, but here the question becomes whether individuals’ rights should take precedence over a ruler’s edict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Eswar Prasad: I haven’t been entirely surprised because I could see that there are certain economic prerogatives of the current administration that seemed to take precedence over many other considerations.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

More recent events, other cultural imperatives have taken precedence.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan