predecessor
UK: /ˈpriːdɪsesə(r)/ | US: /ˈpredəsesər/
n. a person who held a position or office before the current holder
n. something that precedes another in time or development
The word "predecessor" originates from Latin praedecessor, combining prae- (before) + decessor (one who departs, from de- "away" + cedere "to go"). It originally referred to someone who "goes before" in office or time. The morpheme -or denotes an agent, forming a noun. Over time, the term evolved to emphasize succession in roles or chronological precedence.
The new CEO acknowledged the achievements of her predecessor.
This smartphone model is significantly faster than its predecessor.
Ancient Greek philosophers were predecessors to modern scientific thinkers.
The predecessor of this policy was implemented in the 1980s.
He studied the works of his artistic predecessors for inspiration.