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
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
In 1971, for example, the commission's predecessor issued a license to General Electric Company to store nuclear waste at a standalone facility.
—
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025
By comparison, Trump's recent predecessors each issued more appeals for congressional action.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2025
His predecessor, Ruth E. Carter, happens to be the first and only Black woman to win an Oscar twice, in any category.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025
Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013, the first pontiff to do so in more than 500 years.
—Lauren Green, Fox News, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
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Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2025
By comparison, Trump's recent predecessors each issued more appeals for congressional action.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2025
His predecessor, Ruth E. Carter, happens to be the first and only Black woman to win an Oscar twice, in any category.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025
Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013, the first pontiff to do so in more than 500 years.
—Lauren Green, Fox News, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predecessor. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
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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