English Lexicon

Historical Precedent

/hɪsˈtɔːrɪkəl ˈprɛsɪdənt/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

    "The court's ruling was based on a historical precedent set by a similar case in the 1990s."
  2. 2

    A legal decision or case that serves as an authoritative rule or pattern in future cases.

    "Lawyers often cite historical precedents to support their arguments in court."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'historical precedent' combines 'historical', derived from the Greek 'historikos', meaning 'of history', and 'precedent', from the Latin 'praecedens', meaning 'going before'. The phrase evolved to denote past events or decisions that influence current practices or legal rulings.

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