antecedent

noun

1.
someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
first element kinword with Eng forebearer forthfather ancestor ascendant ascendent root
Derived from:
antecedent
2.
a preceding occurrence or cause or event
before before-runner
Derived from:
antecede antecedent
3.
anything that precedes something similar in time
beforehand foreganger forerunner
Derived from:
antecedent
4.
the referent of an anaphor; a phrase or clause that is referred to by an anaphoric pronoun
Derived from:
antecedent