The fact or condition of being earlier in time; the fact of preceding something or someone else.

The coming, action, or occurrence of one person or thing before another, or before the due time; previous occurrence. Also Theology: the action…

The fact or condition of being early. Formerly also: †an early time (obsolete).

The action of forego, v.; a going before, preceding, or leading the way.

Priority.

The quality of being former; anteriority.

Precedence in time or order; (occasionally) an instance of this; = antecedence, n. 2.

The quality of being anterior in time or order; (also) an instance of this.

The fact of coming before another or others in time or succession; priority in time; previous existence or occurrence.

The action or fact of going before; antecedence.

The action, condition, or fact of preceding in time or order, often also in a causal relation to something which follows (opposed to consequence)…

The action, condition, or fact of preceding; precedence, priority. Cf. antecedence, n. 2, antecedency, n. 1.

Priority in time or succession; = precedence, n. 3. Now rare.

The state of coming before, esp. in time; pre-existence, earlier existence.

The fact or condition of occurring earlier in time; priority, precedence.

Existence or occurrence before something else; antecedence, priority.

Antecedence; prior occurrence. Obsolete. rare.

The quality of being anterior in time, order, or place; an instance of this.

The action or fact of preceding in time, order, or rank; precedence. Now rare.