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predecessor Definition

pred·eces·sor (pred′ə ses′ər, prē′də-; pred′ə ses′ər)

noun

  1. a person who precedes or preceded another, as in office
  2. a thing replaced by another thing, as in use
  3. an ancestor; forefather

Etymology: ME predecessour < MFr predecesseur < LL praedecessor < L prae-, before (see pre-) + decessor, retiring officer < decessus, pp. of decedere, to go away, depart < de-, from + cedere, to go: see cede

predecessor Synonyms

predecessor

n.

antecedent, forerunner, ancestor; see ancestor, forerunner.

predecessor Usage Examples

Converse of object

have: However, William was not able to leave his name because he does not have a direct male predecessor who went to Eton.

Adjective modifier

  • illustrious: Smiley's People, and it's illustrious predecessor remain two of the all-time great dramas.
  • immediate: An examination of the photographs revealed that my five immediate predecessors had all lost their seats at the election two days earlier.
  • distinguished: My distinguished predecessor, Frank Haynes, was a Bevin boy.
  • Conservative: The foundations of economic stability and success laid by his Conservative predecessors.
  • famous: Ironically, unlike his famous predecessor, the new reformer has no social policy background.
  • male: However, William was not able to leave his name because he does not have a direct male predecessor who went to Eton.

Modifies a noun

  • body: As well as its own records the ITC retains the records of its predecessor bodies and also those of the Cable Authority.
  • organization: We now have 32 % fewer people than the predecessor organizations and lower running costs.
  • institution: Nominees may have graduated in any year and from any course, from the University of Ulster or any of it's predecessor institutions.
  • organization: The technology used by ICRA and its predecessor organization ( RSACi ) were developed 10 years ago.
  • firm: She has been a partner in PwC and its predecessor firms since 1990.
  • department: Historic figures have been collated from departmental reports and accounts of DWP and its predecessor departments.

Noun used with modifier

pagan: There may have been a timber original; there may even have been a pagan predecessor.

Possessives

policy: Our main priority is to undo the damage done by our predecessors ' disastrous policies.

Preposition: in

  • title: Those who " contribute " land are " providing " something neither they nor their predecessors in title ever created.
  • office: STEWART, like several of his predecessors in the office of Lord Provost, was a native of Glasgow.
  • job: All four of his predecessors in the job have died violent deaths.
  • term: In fact, you're quite different from you predecessor in terms of your DJing, you're much more of a turntables.

Preposition: of

today: Having a look at the old predecessors of today 's Playstation and Dreamcast games might explain why certain stereotypes are so persistent.