precede

B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal

v. to go in front of someone or something else in a line or procession.

v. to go before someone or something else in space or in a formal procession.

“The mayor preceded the other officials into the town hall.”

“The ceremonial guards preceded the royal carriage as the procession moved slowly through the crowded city streets.”

C1 · Advanced Formal · Academic

v. to put something at the beginning of a speech or piece of writing.

v. to preface or introduce a statement or text with something else.

“She preceded her presentation with a short video about the project.”

“The author preceded the final chapter with a poignant quote from a nineteenth-century poet to set the tone for the conclusion.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical

n. a short introduction at the start of an article or essay.

n. a brief editorial preface or introductory note, typically found at the beginning of a journal article or essay.

“The editor wrote a brief precede to explain the history of the report.”

“The scholarly journal included a short precede for each article to provide historical context for the research findings.”