ˈprɛdəˌsɛsɚ 
British
ˈpriːdəˌsɛsə
plural predecessors
1
: a person who had a job or position before someone else
The company's new president has changed many of the policies that were introduced by his predecessor. [=by the previous president]
2
: something that comes before something else
Today's computers are much faster than their predecessors were.
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/predecessor. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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