successor
UK: səkˈsesə | US: səkˈsesər
n. a person or thing that follows another in a position, role, or title
n. (law) someone who inherits property or a title
successor = suc<after> + cess<go> + or<agent suffix>
- suc (variant of "sub-" meaning after or under, from Latin sub)
- cess (from Latin cedere, meaning to go or yield)
- or (agent noun suffix indicating a person who does something)
Etymology Origin:
The word "successor" traces back to Latin successor, derived from succedere ("to come after"). The morpheme suc- (a form of sub-) implies sequence or substitution, while -cess- conveys movement (to go). Combined with -or, it literally means one who goes after another. This reflects the logical progression of inheritance or succession in roles, titles, or property.
The CEO announced her successor before retiring.
In monarchy, the eldest son is often the successor to the throne.
The software update is the successor to the previous version.
He was named as the successor to the family estate.
The committee will vote to appoint a successor next week.