successor

Everyday

1. A successor is a person who takes over a job, title or position after someone else leaves it, like the next king or the next head teacher. tree →
2. A successor is something that comes after and replaces something else, like a newer model of a phone. tree →
3. (maths) The successor of a whole number is the number that comes right after it. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons, a king's successor is usually his eldest child; in the Bible, Joshua was the successor of Moses and Elisha the successor of Elijah. In maths, the successor of 9 is 10 (add one), and the predecessor of 9 is 8. In everyday life a new phone model is the successor of the old one. Phrases: "successor to", "a worthy successor", "name a successor".

Examples

• Prince Charles was the successor to Queen Elizabeth. tree →
• (Bible) Joshua was chosen as the successor of Moses. tree →
• The head teacher's successor starts next term. tree →
• The new game is the successor to last year's hit. tree →
• (maths) The successor of 99 is 100. tree →
• The king had no son, so there was no clear successor. tree →
• She is a worthy successor to the old captain. tree →
• I shall feel that I have a worthy successor, and shall cheerfully retire from the fatigues of government." tree →

Note

Countable: a successor, successors. Opposite: predecessor (the one who came before). Verb: succeed (to follow after); noun: succession. In maths, successor of n = n + 1; predecessor of n = n − 1. Do not confuse with "success" (doing well), though the words are related.