Basic Details
Word: Predecessor
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A person who held a job or position before someone else; also a thing that came before another.
Synonyms: forerunner, precursor
Antonyms: successor
Word origin: From Latin praedecessor, from prae, before, and decessor, one who has gone away.
How to Spell Predecessor
Syllables: pre - de - ces - sor
Tricky part: There is one c and then a double s (ces-sor). The ending is or, not er or ar.
Watch out for: predecesor, predessesor, predecessar, predicessor
Memory tip: Spell it as four beats, pre-de-ces-sor: the c comes alone, the s comes as a pair, and or closes it like in successor.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The new principal kept many of her predecessor's rules.
Example 2: The cassette player was a predecessor of today's music apps.
Example 3: Every captain hopes to do better than his predecessor.
Fun Fact
The word suits machines as well as people: the typewriter is often called a predecessor of the computer keyboard.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
predeccessor
a) d
b) s
c) c
d) e
Show answer
c) c. Only the s is doubled in this word; the c stands alone.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word predecessor as used in the sentence:
The new captain thanked her predecessor for leaving the team in such good shape.
a) precursor
b) ancestor
c) forerunner
d) successor
Show answer
d) successor. Forerunner, ancestor and precursor all came before; a successor comes after.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
Each principal tries to improve on the work of the osdcrseepre.
a) predecessor
b) processor
c) professor
d) possessor
Show answer
a) predecessor. The jumble has eleven letters with a d; processor, professor and possessor have nine and no d.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ms Rao's predecessor as head of the hospital was the person who ____.
a) helps her every day
b) held the job before her
c) trained her at college
d) will hold the job after her
Show answer
b) held the job before her
2. The steam engine was a predecessor of the ____.
a) electric locomotive
b) horse saddle
c) bullock cart
d) wooden wheel
Show answer
a) electric locomotive
