noun
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a person or thing that follows, esp a person who succeeds another in an office
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logic the element related to a given element by a serial ordering, esp the natural number next larger to a given one. The successor of n is n + 1, usually written Sn or n′
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of successor
1250–1300; < Latin, equivalent to succed-, variant stem of succēdere to succeed + -tor -tor, with dt > ss; replacing Middle English successour < Anglo-French < Latin, as above
Explanation
If you are successor to the throne, that means you're next in line when the current royal has to step down. The successor takes over when someone gives up a position or title or when something becomes outdated. The noun successor was first used in the 13th century to mean "one who comes after." It's often used in reference to a royal court, where the successor is usually the king's eldest son. If something happens to the U.S. president, the vice president is the designated successor and will assume the position of head of government. It seems like every day there's a new and improved computer, a successor that replaces an earlier model.
Vocabulary lists containing successor
The Giver
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"The Hill We Climb," by Amanda Gorman
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The City of Ember
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Successor Khan takes the mic next: This week, he saw that we’re entering an era in which “we might lose our humanity, purpose, meaning, connection,” he says.
From Slate • May 8, 2026
Successor Peter Magyar seeks a balanced approach to China, welcoming investment but prioritizing environmental protection and added value.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
Appeared in the January 8, 2026, print edition as 'Buffett’s Successor To Earn a Top Salary'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026
Successor agencies “will have to have their own analysis, their own studies” to address the existing record supporting a rule.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2025
Even though I could not be a Red Successor, I would go to Shi-yi!
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
