preceding

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.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to preceding?

precede (verb)

What are some synonyms for preceding?

previous
precedent (when precedent is used as an adjective)
prior
foregoing
former
earlier

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?

proceeding

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.

How to use preceding in a sentence

For weeks preceding the bash, Hitch refuses to have anything to do with it.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But there is always a preceding generation, or an idealized time in our personal histories.
De Robertis, a New York Great, Bids Farewell|Lizzie Crocker|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Think about that for a second if after the preceding paragraph you remain convinced of the infallibility of our system.
For Ricky Jackson, a Just Verdict—But 39 Years Too Late|Cliff Schecter|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
McEwan novels often have formally dazzling conclusions that recast the meaning of the preceding story.
Ian McEwan's New Novel Keeps Life at Arm's Length|Nick Romeo|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Of the teams in the quarterfinals, Colombia had had only 20 shots on goal in the preceding stages.
Brazil and Colombia Bring the Ugly Game|Tunku Varadarajan|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Without preface, he abruptly asked, what had been told him of the Duke of Wharton's behaviour the preceding night.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
With this letter is another by the same writer, dated July 30, 1622—a postscript to a duplicate of the preceding letter.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
In the preceding chapter an examination has been made of the purely mechanical side of the era of machine production.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
And, Pedro preceding them, the young men gaily descended the stairs.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
The day was passed in much the same manner as the preceding one, though of course new scenes proved ever interesting to Yung Pak.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike

British Dictionary definitions for preceding

preceding

/ (prɪˈsiːdɪŋ) /

adjective

(prenominal) going or coming before; former

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

preceding

OTHER WORDS FOR preceding

OPPOSITES FOR preceding

Origin of preceding

Words nearby preceding

MORE ABOUT PRECEDING

What does preceding mean?

Where does preceding come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is preceding used in real life?

Try using preceding!

Words related to preceding

How to use preceding in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for preceding