precede

/pɹɪˈsiːd/

//pɹɪˈsiːd// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"precede" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“precede” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #34,642. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#34,642
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To go before, go in front of.

Corpus desk

Index EN-precede · precede · English

precede · rank #34,642 · 10 variants · 8 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #34,642
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 8 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH precocious

Nearest frequency peer: precocious (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “precede”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “precede” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

precede vs priced
71% similar
precede vs preyed
71% similar
precede vs precise
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for precede
PropertyValue
Headwordprecede
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɹɪˈsiːd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#34,642
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “precede”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).precedelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “precocious” (#34,643), “pollute” (#34,640), “preconceived” (#34,644). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “precede” is #34,642. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around precede (IPA /pɹɪˈsiːd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #34,642 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for precede, with forms such as "percede", "pprecede", and "prceede". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "priced", "preyed", "precise", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French précéder, from Latin praecēdō, from prae- + cēdō. The correct English form is precede, spelled P-R-E-C-E-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To go before, go in front of.
  2. 2
    To cause to be preceded; to preface; to introduce.
  3. 3
    To have higher rank than (someone or something else).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how precede appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Cultural genocide precedes physical genocide.
  2. But harm precedes not sin: onely our Foe / Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem / Of our integritie

Etymology

From Middle French précéder, from Latin praecēdō, from prae- + cēdō.

Synonyms

foregoantecedecome beforeprecede

Antonyms

succeedsucceed

This word in other languages

preceder(Español)précéder(Français)vorangehen(Deutsch)preceder(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • percede
  • pprecede
  • prceede
  • preccede
  • precdee
  • precedde
  • preceed
  • preecde
  • prrecede
  • rpecede

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of precede - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

percede2pprecede1prceede2preccede1precdee2precedde1preceed2preecde2
Edit distance from "precede"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "precede"?
"precede" is spelled P-R-E-C-E-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹɪˈsiːd/.
What does "precede" mean?
As a verb, "precede" means: To go before, go in front of.
What words are commonly confused with "precede"?
"precede" is commonly confused with "priced", "preyed", "precise". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "precede"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "precede" is /pɹɪˈsiːd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "precede"?
From Middle French précéder, from Latin praecēdō, from prae- + cēdō. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "precede", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

pollute#34,640Plummer#34,639purview#34,653quicken#34,655

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

paltry10 variantsnotepad10 variantsspatula10 variantstetanus10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list