English pronunciation · Words Starting with A
Antecedent Pronunciation
Antecedent is pronounced an-TE-suh-duhnt, IPA /ˌænˈtɛsədənt/.
an-TE-suh-duhnt
US /ˌænˈtɛsədənt/ · UK /ˌæntɪˈsiːdənt/
Syllables: an · TE · suh · duhnt (4 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
noun and adjective: Something that came before, and in grammar the noun a later pronoun refers back to.
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Two Ways to Say Antecedent
The pronunciation changes with the meaning or the part of speech. The form above is the most common; the others are:
- an-ti-SEE-duhnt, the commoner reading: /ˌæntɪˈsidənt/ (an-ti-SEE-duhnt)
Antecedent in a Sentence
- In that sentence the antecedent of they is the committee.
- Every modern constitution has some antecedent in Roman law.
- Antecedent conditions explain half the failure.
Common Mispronunciations of Antecedent
Not AN-tuh-see-duhnt
Loading the opening leaves the rest of the word with nothing to lean on. Whichever of the two readings you choose, the punch lands after the an.
Not an-tuh-SAY-duhnt
That cede element holds the vowel of seed or the short e of said, depending on the reading, but never an ay. Concede and precede use the same piece.
Tip: American dictionaries print an-TE-suh-duhnt first, while an-ti-SEE-duhnt is what most speakers reach for and the only form British dictionaries carry.
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