preceding

/prɪˈsiːdɪŋ/
adjective★Intermediate— coming before in time or order
formal

coming before in time or order

The preceding paragraph summarizes the main points.

The paragraph before this one gives a summary of the key ideas.

The preceding events led to the current situation.

The events that happened earlier caused the present circumstances.

💡

Often used in formal writing to refer to previous sections or events.

Collocations

preceding chapterthe chapter that comes beforepreceding paragraphthe paragraph that comes beforepreceding eventsevents that happened earlier

💡Pro Tip

Formal Usage

Use 'preceding' in formal contexts like academic papers, legal documents, or structured writing to refer to prior sections or events.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'preceden' (to go before), from Old French 'preceder', from Latin 'praecedere' (to go before), from 'prae-' (before) + 'cedere' (to go).

📝Usage Notes

Commonly used in formal writing, legal documents, and academic texts to refer to something that came before in sequence.

Word Breakdown

pre-
before
prefix
+
-ceding
going
root
English Dictionary