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Predecessor vs Precursor - What's the difference?

predecessor | precursor |

As nouns the difference between predecessor and precursor

is that predecessor is 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 while precursor is that which precurses, a forerunner, a predecessor, an indicator of approaching events.

predecessor

English

Alternative forms

* (archaic) * (qualifier) * predecessour (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • 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.
  • A model or type of machinery or device which precedes the current one. Usually used to describe an earlier, outdated model.
    The steam engine was the predecessor of diesel and electric locomotives.
  • (mathematics) A vertex having a directed path to another vertex

    • Synonyms

    * (l) (qualifier)

    Antonyms

    * (one who precedes) successor * (machinery or device which precedes) successor

    Anagrams

    *

    References

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    precursor

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (chiefly obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which precurses, a forerunner, a predecessor, an indicator of approaching events.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author= Katie L. Burke, magazine=(American Scientist), title= In the News , passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:
  • (chemistry) One of the compounds that participates in the chemical reaction that produces another compound.

    • Anagrams

    * ----