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pred·e·ces·sor
 predecessor
- pronunciation:
- pri
dih
se
s
 r
[or]
pre
dih
se
sr
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
one who holds a position, job, or the like prior to another.
Unlike her predecessor, she liked to keep her office neat and organized.The new king reversed the reform policies established by his predecessor.- synonyms:
- forerunner, precursor
- antonyms:
- successor
- similar words:
- antecedent
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| definition 2: |
an earlier form of something, or something that has been largely replaced by something else.
The hammered dulcimer was a predecessor of the piano.- synonyms:
- ancestor, antecedent, forerunner, precursor
- similar words:
- archetype, prototype
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| definition 3: |
a forebear or ancestor.
Our predecessors came to this country seeking safety and prosperity.- synonyms:
- ancestor, forebear, forefather, progenitor
- antonyms:
- descendant
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| related words: |
archetype, father |
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