predecessor Hear it!

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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