[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/predecessor/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [P](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/p/) / predecessor

# predecessor

noun (a predecessor, predecessors)

«predecessor» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A predecessor is the person who had a job or position before someone else. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#m1)
2. A predecessor is a thing that came before another thing and was replaced by it, like an older model of a phone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history: a king's predecessor. In formal speech: the new head teacher's predecessor. In maths, the predecessor of a number is the number just before it: the predecessor of 10 is 9. Phrases: his predecessor, predecessor of.

### Examples

- The new head teacher is stricter than her predecessor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x1)
- This phone is faster than its predecessor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x2)
- The king's predecessor was his uncle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x3)
- The predecessor of 100 is 99. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x4)
- Write the predecessor of each number. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x5)
- The new bridge is much wider than its predecessor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x6)
- I saw him, last winter, make your predecessor run, and his predecessor before him. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/#x7)

### Note

Opposite: successor. In maths (taught in some countries): predecessor = the number minus 1; successor = the number plus 1. Countable. Stress: PREE-di-ses-er (UK) or PRED-e-ses-er (US).

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Writers on Sefer Yetzirah argue about how old the book is. Westcott uses an earlier work like it to claim a very early date. In the primary lessons: In history: a king's predecessor. In formal speech: the new head teacher's predecessor. In maths, the predecessor of a number is the number just before it: the predecessor of 10 is 9. Phrases: his predecessor, predecessor of.

### Examples

- This work then, or a similar predecessor, is at least as old as a.d. 200. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/predecessor/#x1)
- This work then, or a similar predecessor, is at least as old as A.D. 200. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/predecessor/#x2)
- Again, I have to add that I have not only endeavored to correct a great many mistakes and erroneous ideas of my predecessors, but I have also endeavored to give more complete annotations. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/predecessor/#x3)

### Note

Opposite: successor. In maths (taught in some countries): predecessor = the number minus 1; successor = the number plus 1. Countable. Stress: PREE-di-ses-er (UK) or PRED-e-ses-er (US).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «predecessor» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/predecessor/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«predecessor» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/predecessor.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «predecessor» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/predecessor/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«predecessor» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/predecessor.html) on Mova free.