succession

succession

UK[səkˈseʃ.ən]US[səkˈseʃ.ən]
n

a number of people or things that follow each other in time or order; a series.

n

the process by which one person or thing follows another, especially to a position, title, or property.

n

ecology. the process by which a plant or animal community successively gives way to another until a stable climax community is established.

Morpheme Breakdown

suc
cess
ion
suc

under, after

cess

go, move

ion

action or process

Etymology

the word "succession" has a clear lineage from latin. it originates from the latin verb 'succedere', meaning "to come after, to follow after," which itself is composed of 'sub-' (under, close after) and 'cedere' (to go). the nominal form 'successio' (the act of following after) was adopted into middle english via old french. the core logic of moving or going after something underpins all its modern meanings, from a sequence of events to the inheritance of a title. it captures the concept of one thing yielding to or being replaced by the next in a defined progression.

Analysis

Structure: suc (under, after) + cess (go, move) + ion (action or process) suc- is a prefix from latin 'sub-' meaning "under, after". cess- is a root from latin 'cedere' meaning "to go, to move". -ion is a suffix from latin '-io' indicating "an action or process".

Examples

the company has seen a rapid succession of ceos in the last two years.

he is first in line of succession to the throne.

the abandoned field showed the early stages of plant succession, with grasses giving way to shrubs.