Origin and history of precede

1630s, "to yield, give way," from French céder or directly from Latin cedere "to yield, give place; to give up some right or property," originally "to go from, proceed, leave" (from Proto-Italic *kesd-o- "to go away, avoid," from PIE root *ked- "to go, yield").

The original sense in English is now archaic; the transitive meaning "yield or formally surrender (something) to another" is from 1754. The sense evolution in Latin is via the notion of "go away, withdraw, give ground." Related: Ceded; ceding.

Latin cedere, with prefixes attached, is the source of a great many English words: accede, concede, exceed, precede, proceed, recede, secede, etc.

early 15c., "previous instance or circumstance which may be taken as a rule in subsequent similar cases; a custom, habit, or rule established," from the adjective precedent "preceding in time, previous, former" (c. 1400), from Old French precedent (also used as a noun) and directly from Latin praecedentum (nominative praecedens), present participle of praecedere "go before" (see precede).

Meaning "thing or person that goes before another" is attested from mid-15c. Specifically in law, "a judicial decision which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases," by 1680s. As a verb meaning "to furnish with a precedent" from 1610s, now only in past participle precedented.