predecessor

[ pred-uh-ses-er, pred-uh-ses-er or, especially British, pree-duh-ses-er ]
See synonyms for predecessor on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a person who precedes another in an office, position, etc.

  2. something succeeded or replaced by something else: The new monument in the park is more beautiful than its predecessor.

  1. Archaic. an ancestor; forefather.

Origin of predecessor

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English predecessour, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- pre- + dēcessor “retiring official” (equivalent to dēcēd(ere) “to withdraw” + -tor -tor; see de-, cede )

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How to use predecessor in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for predecessor

predecessor

/ (ˈpriːdɪˌsɛsə) /


noun
  1. a person who precedes another, as in an office

  2. something that precedes something else

  1. an ancestor; forefather

Origin of predecessor

1
C14: via Old French from Late Latin praedēcessor, from prae before + dēcēdere to go away, from away + cēdere to go

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