predecessor
noun
pre·de·ces·sor
ˈpre-də-ˌse-sər 
ˈprē-;
ˌpre-də-ˈse-,
ˌprē-
1
: one that precedes
especially
: a person who has previously occupied a position or office to which another has succeeded
2
archaic
: ancestor
Synonyms
Examples of predecessor in a Sentence
Today's computers are much faster than their predecessors were.
the once-ubiquitous typewriter was the predecessor of today's electronic keyboard
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet running the National is a job that has taxed her six predecessors—all of them white men, four of them educated at Cambridge.
—
Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2024
Thanks to Total Harmonic Distortion Compensation, the iFi GO link Max delivers a purer and less distorted sound than its predecessor.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Japan’s new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, is struggling to hold on to power and will face political headwinds reaching the two-percent mark that his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, promised.
—Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
Fox was promoted to the position in September after Corpus fired his predecessor, Ryan Monaghan.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for predecessor 
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Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2024
Thanks to Total Harmonic Distortion Compensation, the iFi GO link Max delivers a purer and less distorted sound than its predecessor.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Japan’s new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, is struggling to hold on to power and will face political headwinds reaching the two-percent mark that his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, promised.
—Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
Fox was promoted to the position in September after Corpus fired his predecessor, Ryan Monaghan.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for predecessor
Dictionary Entries Near predecessor
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predecessor. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
predecessor
noun
pre·de·ces·sor
ˈpred-ə-ˌses-ər
ˈprēd-
ˈprēd-
: one that precedes
especially
: a person who has held a position or office before another
Etymology
Middle English predecessour "predecessor," from early French predecesseur (same meaning), from Latin praedecessor "one that goes before," from prae- "before, pre-," and decessor "retiring governor," from decedere "to depart," from de- "from" and cedere "to go, go away" — related to ancestor, concede
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