predecessor

American  

[pred-uh-ses-er, pred-uh-ses-er, pree-duh-ses-er] / ˈprɛd əˌsɛs ər, ˌprɛd əˈsɛs ər, ˈpri dəˌsɛs ər /

noun

1. a person who precedes another in an office, position, etc.

2. something succeeded or replaced by something else.

   The new monument in the park is more beautiful than its predecessor.

3. Archaic. an ancestor; forefather.

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predecessor British  

/ ˈpriːdɪˌsɛsə /

noun

1. a person who precedes another, as in an office

2. something that precedes something else

3. an ancestor; forefather

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Etymology

Origin of predecessor

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English predecessour, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- pre- + dēcessor “retiring official” (equivalent to dēcēd(ere) “to withdraw” + -tor -tor; de-, cede )

Explanation

A predecessor is something that came before the current version. The person you replaced at work is your predecessor, just like Pac Man is the predecessor of modern video games. If you break the word predecessor down to its Latin roots, you get pre, meaning "beforehand," and decessor, which means "retiring officer." So that's how we get to our definition of "someone who has held an office or position before the present holder." But predecessors aren't just found in the business world: these days predecessors include our ancestors, earlier car models, and all kinds of other forerunners.

Example Sentences

Estefan notably opened many doors for Latina musicians — most famously Karol’s Colombian pop predecessor Shakira — to excel in the United States and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

It has laid off more than 8,000 people since D’Amaro’s predecessor, Bob Iger, returned as CEO in 2022 and began a major restructuring.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

That would leave a sitting Fed chair and his predecessor voting side by side, a scenario with little modern precedent.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Even the current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood resurrected it when she responded to a critical report into the department commissioned by her Conservative predecessor Suella Braverman.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Yes, he’s a bit more attentive than his predecessor when it comes to the gold being traded in his kingdom.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• ancestor
• forebear