antecedente

preceding, prior

adjective ahn-teh-cheh-DEN-teh Rare

Origin: From Latin antecedere (to go before), from ante (before) + cedere (to go).

Also means

antecedent (noun)

Usage Note

Antecedente is used in formal, legal, and grammatical contexts: il periodo antecedente alla guerra (the period preceding the war). As a noun, gli antecedenti (plural) means prior circumstances or criminal record: ha precedenti penali is more common in spoken Italian for 'has a criminal record'. It is invariable for gender (same form masculine and feminine); plural antecedenti.

Examples

"Gli eventi antecedenti alla firma sono cruciali."

Natural Translation

The events preceding the signing are crucial.

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