precedent

noun/ˈprɛsɪdənt/

Frequency rank: #5,502 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

an earlier event or decision that serves as an example or rule for future situations.

Illustration for the English word “precedent”

Example sentence

The judge's ruling set the precedent for how similar cases would be handled in the future.

Synonyms & related words

More words in ranks 5,501–5,600