diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 141db1fd2eb..1c7f49536be 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ They can easily be emulated.  Rather than calling `make-variable-frame-local'
 and accessing the variable value directly, explicitly check for a
 frame-parameter, and if there is one, use its value in preference to
 that of the variable.  Note that buffer-local values should take
-preference over frame-local ones, so you may wish to check `local-variable-p'
+precedence over frame-local ones, so you may wish to check `local-variable-p'
 first.
 
 ** The function invisible-p returns non-nil if the character