precedent

/ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/

//ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt// noun

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

"precedent" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“precedent” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,939 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,939
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

precedent vs president
78% similar
precedent vs preceding
78% similar
precedent vs precede
78% similar

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

Key facts for precedent
PropertyValue
Headwordprecedent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#9,939
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “precedent” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for precedent is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,939 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for precedent, with forms such as "percedent", "pprecedent", and "prceedent". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "president", "preceding", "precede", 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, from Old French, from Latin praecēdēns, present participle of praecēdere (“to precede”); See precede. The correct English form is precedent, spelled P-R-E-C-E-D-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.
  2. 2
    A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a subsequent case.
  3. 3
    An established habit or custom.
  4. 4
    The aforementioned (thing).
  5. 5
    The previous version.
  6. 6
    A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.

Etymology

From Middle French, from Old French, from Latin praecēdēns, present participle of praecēdere (“to precede”); See precede.

This word in other languages

precedente(Español)précédent(Français)Präzedenz(Deutsch)precedente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: percedent,pprecedent,prceedent,preccedent,precdeent,preceddent,precedennt,precedentt,precedetn,precednet,preceednt,preecdent,prrecedent,rpecedent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of precedent - 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.

percedent2pprecedent1prceedent2preccedent1precdeent2preceddent1precedennt1precedentt1
Edit distance from "precedent"

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 "precedent"?
"precedent" is spelled P-R-E-C-E-D-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/.
What does "precedent" mean?
As a noun, "precedent" means: An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.
What words are commonly confused with "precedent"?
"precedent" is commonly confused with "president", "preceding", "precede". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "precedent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "precedent" is /ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/. 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 "precedent"?
From Middle French, from Old French, from Latin praecēdēns, present participle of praecēdere (“to precede”); See precede. 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.

Using “precedent”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-C-E-D-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “president” - see the side-by-side comparison. precedent vs president
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list