Other forms: precedents
A precedent is an earlier decision that later cases must follow. Set a precedent, follow precedent, without precedent.
In English law this is binding precedent, and it is the reason a common law system develops through decided cases rather than only through statute. Set a precedent means to create one, often unintentionally. Without precedent means unprecedented. Note precedence, which is a different word about order of importance; and that precedent as an adjective, stressed differently, means preceding.
1nounprecedentAn earlier decision that later cases must follow.
“The judge's decision set a precedent for similar cases in the future.”
precedent is an earlier decision.
Latin praecedens means going before — prae plus cedere, to go. Precede, proceed and recede are all the same verb, and a precedent is simply what went before.
Latin
praecēdēns
English, today
precedent
Built from
From Middle French -, from Old French -, from Latin praecēdēns, present participle of praecedo (“to precede”); See precede.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA