predecessor

C1 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsɚ/ UK /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #16496

Meanings

1

noun
A person who held a job or position before someone else.

The new manager continued the projects started by her predecessor.
2

noun
An earlier model or version that came before the current one.

The steam engine was the predecessor of the diesel locomotive.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · an earlier model or version... forerunner precursor

More ancestor ancient antecessor elderforegangerprecessor

Opposites

successor

Word family

Forms predecessors

Derived forms predecessoresspredecessorialpredecessorshippredecessory

Related forms decease deceasedpredecessivesuccessive successor

Etymology

From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“to retire, to die”) (English decease).

predecessour Middle English predecesseor Old French praedēcessor la-lat prae- Latin dēcessor Latin dēcēdō Latin

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Topics

Space, Position & Direction Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# predecessor

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 16496

## Meanings
1. A person who held a job or position before someone else.
2. An earlier model or version that came before the current one.

## Examples
- The new manager continued the projects started by her predecessor.
- The steam engine was the predecessor of the diesel locomotive.

## Synonyms
- ancestor
- ancient
- antecessor
- elder
- foreganger
- forerunner
- precessor
- precursor

## Antonyms
- successor

## Derived Forms
- predecessoress
- predecessorial
- predecessorship
- predecessory

## Related Forms
- decease
- deceased
- predecessive
- successive
- successor

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: predecessour
- Root: predecesseor
- Root: praedēcessor
- Root: prae-
- Root: dēcessor
- Root: dēcēdō

## Etymology
From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“to retire, to die”) (English decease).

## AI Etymology
Predecessor is from Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“to retire, to die”) (English decease). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean a person who held a job or position before someone else, or an earlier model or version that came before the current one. Related forms include decease, deceased, predecessive, successive, successor. Derived formations include predecessoress, predecessorial, predecessorship, predecessory.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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predecessor

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