word
Legal
precedent
PRES-ih-dent
ˈprɛsɪdəntListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
precedent
Sounds like
Say 'PRES-ih-dent' — different from 'president' (PREZ-ih-dent).
Dictionary meaning
An earlier decision by a court that acts as a rule for future cases.
Examples
- The judge declined to overturn the precedent set by the Supreme Court forty years earlier.
Pronounced the same in both British and American English.
Common mispronunciations
PREZ-ih-dentpreh-SEE-dent
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