succession

American  

[suhk-sesh-uhn] / səkˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

1. the coming of one person or thing after another in order, sequence, or in the course of events.

   many troubles in succession.

2. a number of persons or things following one another in order or sequence.

3. the right, act, or process, by which one person succeeds to the office, rank, estate, or the like, of another.

4. the order or line of those entitled to succeed one another.

5. the descent or transmission of a throne, dignity, estate, or the like.

6. Also called ecological succession.  Ecology. the progressive replacement of one community by another until a climax community is established.

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succession British  

/ səkˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of one person or thing following another

2. a number of people or things following one another in order

3. the act, process, or right by which one person succeeds to the office, etc, of another

4. the order that determines how one person or thing follows another

5. a line of descent to a title, etc

6. ecology the sum of the changes in the composition of a community that occur during its development towards a stable climax community

7. in a manner such that one thing is followed uninterruptedly by another

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succession Scientific  

/ sək-sĕsh′ən /

1. The gradual replacement of one type of ecological community by another in the same area, involving a series of orderly changes, especially in the dominant vegetation. Succession is usually initiated by a significant disturbance of an existing community. Each succeeding community modifies the physical environment, as by introducing shade or changing the fertility or acidity of the soil, creating new conditions that benefit certain species and inhibit others until a climax community is established.

2. ◆ The sequential development of plant and animal communities in an area in which no topsoil exists, as on a new lava flow, is called primary succession.

3. ◆ The development of such communities in an area that has been disturbed but still retains its topsoil, as in a burned-over area, is called secondary succession.

4. See more at climax community

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Related Words

See series.

Other Word Forms

• nonsuccession noun
• nonsuccessional adjective
• nonsuccessionally adverb
• successional adjective
• successionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of succession

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin successiōn- (stem of successiō ) “a following (someone) in office,” equivalent to success(us), past participle of succēdere “to succeed” ( succeed ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Many German institutions had just started relaxing travel restrictions to Iraq after a succession of conflicts, including the 2003 US-led invasion and the extremist Islamic State group.

From Barron's

The students called for more permanent teachers to be appointed, saying they had been taught by a succession of supply staff in a number of subjects.

From BBC

Always at the heart of these discontents was the battery—or batteries, because there has been a succession of them, an alchemist’s closet of energy-storing potions in weirdly shaped bottles.

From The Wall Street Journal

While Sweeney said that succession planning for the head coach role continued as normal, just as it did for his own role and that of other executives, he would not be drawn on specifics.

From BBC

Satellite imagery taken in the days after the strike shows at least four buildings destroyed in quick succession.

From BBC

Related Words

• cycle
• progression
• series
• string