Antecedent

An antecedent is something that comes before or precedes another event, idea, or element. In language, it’s the noun or pronoun that a pronoun refers back to in a sentence. For example, in the sentence "Sara lost her keys," "Sara" is the antecedent of "her." In broader contexts, an antecedent can refer to prior causes or conditions that influence or lead to an outcome. Essentially, it helps establish a sequence or relationship, showing what happened earlier that has a bearing on what follows.