antecedent

adjective

1
the referent of an anaphor; a phrase or clause that is referred to by an anaphoric pronoun
2
a preceding occurrence or cause or event
3
someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
4
anything that precedes something similar in time
phrenology was an antecedent of modern neuroscience

Also useful for “antecedent”:Crossword— A long fill for tough grids