Prē'de-çēs'sor, n.

n. [Lat. prædecessor, from præ, before, and decessor, lit. he who withdraws from the province he has governed, a predecessor, with exclusive reference to his successor, from decedere, to go away, depart, withdraw; It. predecessore, Pr. & Pg. predecessor, Sp. predecessor, Fr. prédécesseur.] One who precedes; a person who has preceded another in any state, position, office, or the like; one whom another follows or comes after. “A prince who was as watchful as his predecessor had been over the interests of the state.” Prescott. ☞ It is distinguished from ancestor, who is of the same blood; but it may, perhaps, be sometimes used for it.