noun
predecessor
PRED-uh-sess-er/ˈpredəsesər/
A person or thing that came before another in the same role or sequence.
The new teacher receives the classroom key from her predecessor.
Etymology
A predecessor was someone who had departed from an office before its present holder. That earlier-holder relationship also describes anything that comes before another in a sequence.
In context
his willingness to consider advice from editors notably my predecessor at faber craigrain and paul keegan who followed me
More examples
- This phone has a larger screen than its predecessor.
- Unlike his predecessor, the mayor holds weekly public meetings.
- The museum displays the machine alongside two of its predecessors.
Forms
predecessor · predecessors
Similar words
- forerunner
- Suggests an early model or sign of something later.
- precursor
- Often suggests something that helps bring about a later development.