predecessor

[ pred-uh-ses-er, pred-uh-ses-er or, esp. British, pree-duh-ses-er ]
/ ˈprɛd əˌsɛs ər, ˌprɛd əˈsɛs ər or, esp. British, ˈpri dəˌsɛs ər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR predecessor ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who precedes another in an office, position, etc.
something succeeded or replaced by something else: The new monument in the park is more beautiful than its predecessor.
Archaic. an ancestor; forefather.

Origin of predecessor

1250–1300; Middle English predecessour < Anglo-French < Late Latin praedēcessor, equivalent to Latin prae- pre- + dēcessor retiring official, itself equivalent to dēced-, variant stem of dēcēdere to withdraw ( dē- de- + cēdere to yield; see cede) + -tor -tor, with dt > ss

Words nearby predecessor

predator, predatory, predatory pricing, predawn, predecease, predecessor, predecidual, predella, predentin, predeposit, predesignate

Words related to predecessor

ancestor, forebear, antecedent, precursor, prior, forerunner, prototype, former, previous, antecessor

Example sentences from the Web for predecessor

British Dictionary definitions for predecessor

predecessor
/ (ˈpriːdɪˌsɛsə) /

noun

a person who precedes another, as in an office
something that precedes something else
an ancestor; forefather

Word Origin for predecessor

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