precedente Italian · revision 38111

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation, semantic loan|attested=before 1321, Dante|origins=la cēdō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pre.t͡ʃeˈdɛn.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''precedente''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural precedenti)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[precedere]], formed [[af|it|precedere|-ente]], after [[la|praecēdēns]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|3051) The verb is a learned word, [[bor|la|praecēdō|t=to go before]], from [[m|la|prae-]] and [[m|la|cēdō|t=to go, withdraw]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The noun “precedent” is a calque of [[en|precedent]] (1433).^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) DELI, quoting an earlier study, says the English word probably came in through [[fr|précédent]], an adjective from the 13th century that took on the noun sense in the 18th century under English influence; in Italian the word spread mainly in politics and the law courts.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Dante is the first to use the adjective, before 1321, in the sense “coming before”: in the ''Paradiso'' he defines hope as a sure expectation of future glory that comes from “grazia divina e precedente merto” (divine grace and preceding merit).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the plural noun could also mean “predecessors”, in Bindo Bonichi in the 14th century.^(DEI|3051) The modern noun began with Foscolo before 1827, for an act that opens the way to others of the same kind.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The phrases followed: ''creare un precedente'' in a newspaper of 1867, ''senza precedenti'' “unprecedented” in 1891.^(DELI 1999) From 1875 the plural also named a person's past record, and ''precedenti penali'' “previous convictions” is recorded in 1958.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) In office language ''i precedenti'' are the earlier papers on a matter.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses the adjective.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – Bindo Bonichi uses the plural for “predecessors”.^(DEI|3051)

+ * Before 1827 – Ugo Foscolo uses the noun “precedent”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1867 – ''Creare un precedente'' in the newspaper ''L'Arena''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1875 – Rigutini and Fanfani record the sense “a person's record”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – ''Senza precedenti'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1958 – ''Precedenti penali'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|previous]], coming earlier in time: ''Ne avevamo già parlato nella riunione precedente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Coming just before; immediately past: ''la notte precedente all'esame''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Coming before in space or in a series: ''Torna alla fermata precedente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|precedent]], an earlier act or event that serves as a model or rule for later ones: ''Se accetti questa volta, crei un precedente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(law)'' An earlier judicial decision on an identical or similar case.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(chiefly plural)'' A person's past conduct or record, ''precedenti penali'', previous [[m|en|conviction|alt=convictions]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(chiefly plural, bureaucracy)'' The papers on an earlier, related matter.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[precedentemente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[precedere]]

+ * [[precedenza]]

+ * [[la|praecedo]]

+ * [[en|precedent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}