predecessor

/ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/

//ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"predecessor" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“predecessor” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,383. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,383
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - 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.

Corpus desk

Index EN-predecessor · predecessor · English

predecessor · rank #9,383 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,383
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH practiced

Nearest frequency peer: practiced (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “predecessor”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “predecessor” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for predecessor
PropertyValue
Headwordpredecessor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/
Letters11
Frequency rank#9,383
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “predecessor”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).predecessorlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “practiced” (#9,382), “premise” (#9,384), “poured” (#9,381). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “predecessor” is #9,383. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around predecessor (IPA /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,383 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for predecessor, with forms such as "perdecessor", "ppredecessor", and "prdeecessor". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“I retire, I die”) (English decease). The correct English form is predecessor, spelled P-R-E-D-E-C-E-S-S-O-R.

Definition

  1. 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.
  2. 2
    A model or type of machinery or device which precedes the current (or later) one. Usually used to describe an earlier, outdated model.
  3. 3
    A vertex having a directed path to another vertex

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how predecessor appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I thought about my predecessor, who had died of drink and smoke; and I could have wished he had been so good as to live, and not bother me with his decease.
  2. "The Northern Heights at last," you say to yourself, hastily closing the carriage window because the Yorkshire coal used by the Eastern Region and its predecessors makes their tunnels more sulphurous than any we know.

Etymology

From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“I retire, I die”) (English decease).

Synonyms

forerunnerforegangerancestorantecessorprecursorancientelderprecessorpredecessor

Antonyms

successor

This word in other languages

predecesor(Español)prédécesseur(Français)Vorgänger(Deutsch)antecessor(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • perdecessor
  • ppredecessor
  • prdeecessor
  • predceessor
  • preddecessor
  • predeccessor
  • predecesor
  • predecesosr
  • predecessorr
  • predecessro
  • predecsesor
  • predeecssor
  • preedcessor
  • prredecessor
  • rpedecessor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of predecessor - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

perdecessor2ppredecessor1prdeecessor2predceessor2preddecessor1predeccessor1predecesor1predecesosr2
Edit distance from "predecessor"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "predecessor"?
"predecessor" is spelled P-R-E-D-E-C-E-S-S-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/.
What does "predecessor" mean?
As a noun, "predecessor" means: 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.
What are common misspellings of "predecessor"?
Common misspellings include "perdecessor", "ppredecessor", "prdeecessor", "predceessor", "preddecessor". The correct spelling is "predecessor".
How do you pronounce "predecessor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "predecessor" is /ˈpɹiːdɪsɛsə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "predecessor"?
From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“I retire, I die”) (English decease). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "predecessor", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

methodology#9,365marketplace#9,361willingness#9,422advancement#9,431

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

vocabulary15 variantshistorians15 variantsfragments15 variantsdecoration15 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list