The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Antecede \An`te*cede"\, v. t. & i. [L. antecedere; ante + cedere
   to go. See Cede.]
   To go before in time or place; to precede; to surpass. --Sir
   M. Hale.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

antecede
    v 1: be earlier in time; go back further; "Stone tools precede
         bronze tools" [syn: predate, precede, forego,
         forgo, antecede, antedate] [ant: follow,
         postdate]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

32 Moby Thesaurus words for "antecede":
   announce, antedate, anticipate, be before, be early, come before,
   come first, forerun, front, go ahead of, go before, go in advance,
   have priority, head, head the table, head up, herald, kick off,
   lead, lead off, outrank, pace, precede, precurse, predate,
   preexist, proclaim, rank, rate, stand first, take precedence,
   usher in