Predecessor
/ˈpriːdɪˌsɛsər/
Definitions
A person or thing that held a position or role before the current occupant.
/ˈpriːdɪˌsɛsər/
A person or thing that comes before another in time or in a series.
The current king followed his father, who was his predecessor.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're the new kid in school and you're sitting in the desk of the student who just left. They were your predecessor. It means the person who had the job or place before you.
👶 For kids: Someone or something that was before you. Like, the old owner of your house was the house's predecessor.
More Examples
This model is an improvement on its predecessor.
The company is following the business model of its predecessor.
How It's Used
"The current CEO is building on the successes of his predecessor."
"His predecessor had implemented several successful marketing strategies."
"The legal precedents set by his predecessor in office."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseur, from Latin praedecessor ("one who goes before, forerunner"), from prae- ("before") + decessor ("one who has gone away"), a derivative of decedere ("to depart, decease").
The word 'predecessor' has been used in English since the 15th century, reflecting its connection to hierarchical structures and chronological sequences.
Memory tip
Think of 'pre' (before) and 'decessor' (one who came). The person who came before.
Word Origin
"one who has gone before"