precedence

American  

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

noun

1. act or fact of preceding.

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

3. the fact of 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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of precedence

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

Explanation

Notice the verb "precede" in the noun precedence, and you'll be able to remember that precedence is the act of preceding, of coming before — either in time or in rank. When you're stranded without food or water, the search for water should definitely take precedence over the search for food, since you'll die of dehydration long before you starve. When deciding where to seat people, restaurant owners give precedence to the famous and rich: making them happy will be good for business. Which things take precedence over others depends on what you think is more important. "Age before beauty," I always say.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

precedence

But scientific naming follows a rule of priority: when the same species has been given more than one scientific name, the earliest valid name takes precedence.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

"When favoritism and cronyism take precedence over competence in selecting a commander, the result is as predictable as fire burning paper," he said.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Called the Bergen Loop, the project is nowhere close to fruition, with the Hudson Tunnel project and various other elements of the program taking precedence.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026

All of which means that weekly church donations seem to take precedence over tipping, says Pantzalis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

He told her that he didn’t have enough police officers to cover two parades, back-to-back, and that the president’s event took precedence.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling