What does "successor" mean?

1. (job or title) a person who takes a job or position after the previous person leaves. 2. (mathematics) the number that comes immediately after another number.

How do you use "successor"?

Often followed by the preposition 'to'. Used as a countable noun in set theory and arithmetic.

successor

US //səkˈsɛsɝ// UK //səksˈɛsɐ// suc·ces·sor

1 job or title (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

a person who takes a job or position after the previous person leaves.

a person who succeeds another in an office, title, or position of authority.

Example

The company board is currently looking for a successor to the retiring CEO.

Example

The prime minister struggled to find a suitable successor who could unite the fractured party before the upcoming general election.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'to'.
- predecessor
2 mathematics (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Math

the number that comes immediately after another number.

the integer, ordinal, or cardinal number immediately following a given number in a sequence.

Example

In the set of whole numbers, the successor of five is six.

Example

The Peano axioms define natural numbers by starting with zero and applying a successor function to generate the rest of the set.

Usage

Used as a countable noun in set theory and arithmetic.
- predecessor

Origin

From Anglo-Norman successour, from Latin successor.