Word · CEFR C1 · Frequency #4183
predecessor
前任；前人
The person who held a job or position before another person.
- 1.
One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position, office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position.
先行者；在任何状态、职位、职务等方面先于他人的人；在职务或职位上为后者所接替的人。
- 2.
one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office)
在时间上先于你的人(如担任职务或职位)
- 3.
A model or type of machinery or device which precedes the current (or later) one. Usually used to describe an earlier, outdated model.
先于当前(或后来)型号的机械或设备模型或类型；通常指较早的过时型号。
- 4.
something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
先于某物或某人出现并预示其到来的事物
- 5.
A vertex having a directed path to another vertex
存在有向路径通往另一顶点的顶点。
旧型号；前代产品；前兆；先兆；前驱顶点；前驱节点；先行者；在任何状态、职位、职务等方面先于他人的人；在职务或职位上为后者所接替的人。；在时间上先于你的人(如担任职务或职位)
In use
My predecessor left detailed notes for me.
This building was constructed on the site of its predecessor.
The new model is significantly faster than its predecessor.
[possessive] predecessor
所有格+predecessor表示某人的前任。
My predecessor left me a detailed report.
我的前任给我留了一份详细的报告。
predecessor in [role/position]
表示在某个职位上的前任。
She is the predecessor in the role of CEO.
她是首席执行官职位上的前任。
predecessor of [something]
指某事物的前身，可用于物。
The predecessor of this model was released in 2019.
Connections
Collocations
- immediate predecessor
- 直接前任
- My immediate predecessor was promoted to a higher position.我的直接前任被提升到了更高的职位。
- direct predecessor
- 直接前任
- This policy was introduced by her direct predecessor.这项政策是由她的直接前任引入的。
- predecessor in office
- 职位上的前任
- He inherited many problems from his predecessor in office.他从他的职位上的前任那里继承了许多问题。
Idioms & figurative uses
- step into the shoes of one's predecessor
- 接替某人的前任When she stepped into the shoes of her predecessor, she knew she had big challenges ahead.当她接替前任的职位时，她知道前面有巨大的挑战。
- follow in one's predecessor's footsteps
- 效仿前任The new CEO decided to follow in his predecessor's footsteps and continue the company's expansion.
Learner notes
Memory Tip
『pre』前 + 『decessor』离去者 → 前任就是先前离开的人。
Context & Register
语域: 中性; 典型语境: 职场、历史讨论; 注意: 通常用于正式或中性语境，多指职位或机构的前任或前身。
Grammar Note
可数名词，复数形式为 predecessors。
Pronunciation & Spelling
These words share the '-or' ending but do not rhyme with 'predecessor'. 'Predecessor' and 'successor' have similar endings but different stress patterns; others have different vowel sounds.
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 2，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.