An "antecedent" is a term used in grammar and logic to refer to something that comes before another element. In grammar, it often describes a noun that a pronoun replaces or refers to, such as in the sentence "The dog barked, and it ran away," where "the dog" is the antecedent of "it." In logic, an antecedent is the first part of a conditional statement, typically expressed as "if A, then B." Here, "A" is the antecedent, which must be true for the consequent "B" to also be true. Understanding antecedents is essential for clear communication and reasoning.