precedent

American  

[pres-i-duhnt, pri-seed-nt, pres-i-duhnt] / ˈprɛs ɪ dənt, prɪˈsid nt, ˈprɛs ɪ dənt /

noun

1. Law. a legal decision or form of proceeding serving as an authoritative rule or pattern in future similar or analogous cases.

2. any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations.

   Synonyms:

   standard, pattern, model, example

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adjective

1. going or coming before; preceding; anterior.

precedent British  

noun

1. law a judicial decision that serves as an authority for deciding a later case

2. an example or instance used to justify later similar occurrences

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adjective

1. preceding

precedent Cultural  

1. A previous ruling by a court that influences subsequent decisions in cases with similar issues.

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precedent Idioms  

1. see set a precedent.

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Usage

What does precedent mean? A precedent is an act or decision that serves as a guide for future situations with similar circumstances. For example, the first U. S. president, George Washington, set a precedent when he limited himself to only two terms as president, and presidents ever since (with the exception of Franklin Delano Roosevelt) have followed that precedent—meaning they have done the same thing. Precedent is especially used in a legal context, in which it refers to a past court decision or judicial ruling that can be used as a guideline for decisions in similar cases. In this context, precedent often refers collectively to all previous decisions relevant to the case. This sense of the word is used without the articles a or the, as in This ruling was based on precedent. Typically, lower courts (such as a state trial court or a U. S. district court) will look at decisions made by higher courts (such as a state supreme court or a U. S. court of appeals) to use as judicial precedent. Basing judicial decisions on precedent is intended to make them more objective or impartial due to not being based on a single personal opinion. Still, decisions are not required to be made based on precedent. Judges may break precedent or go against precedent in certain cases. These phrases can also be used outside of a legal context. In general, when something has never been done or has never happened before, it can be described as without precedent. The word unprecedented means the same thing. Much less commonly, precedent can be used as an adjective that means the same thing as preceding (which is much more commonly used). Example: If we make this a holiday, we’ll set a precedent that our employees will expect us to follow every year.

Other Word Forms

• nonprecedent noun
• precedentless adjective
• quasi-precedent adjective

Etymology

Origin of precedent

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Middle French, from Latin praecēdent- (stem of praecēdēns ), present participle of praecēdere “to go in front of, go ahead of”; the noun is from the adjective; precede, -ent

Explanation

A precedent is something that sets a standard for future events. It's hard to say what the legal community would do without the word precedent, since so many legal judgments and decisions are based on what came before. Lawyers and judges often look for a precedent that can be used as a guide for a similar case. This word is used elsewhere too. Your mom might not let you stay up late because it would set a bad precedent for future bedtimes. A teacher who lets kids chew gum is setting a precedent that gum-chewing will be OK in the future. People often refer to a precedent later on as a reference point for how things should be.

Example Sentences

“Whatever is decided in this case is going to set the precedent for future situations.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

A toll system would violate international law, roll back freedom of navigation and set a global precedent for other chokepoints.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

There was a desire to set a precedent and avoid perceptions that Fernandez, one of the squad's senior figures, had received preferential treatment.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

As it happens, however, there is a direct precedent under U.S. law, well known to the drafters of the 14th Amendment, explaining that the demands of allegiance attach even to temporary or unlawful entrants.

From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026

I guess with no precedent to go by, she wouldn’t really understand the concept of knocking.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Related Words

• criterion