Etymologically
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successive

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 16:30. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /səkˈsɛsɪv/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English successif, borrowed from Old French successif and directly Medieval Latin successīvus,[2][3][4] from successus, the past participle of succēdō (“to come after, follow”) (see succeed).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Coming one after another in time or order: 1432–50 in the OED, the early 15th century in Etymonline.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

Descending by succession or inheritance is an obsolete sense of the same date,[5] and of persons, succeeding by inheritance, from 1592.[5] Continuous or uninterrupted is from 1586, and successful from 1582, both obsolete.[5] Characterized by succession, produced in stages, is from 1685.[5]

Timeline

  • 1432–50 – following in order; inherited.[5]
  • 1582 – successful (obsolete).[5]
  • 1595 – next in succession.[5]
  • 1685 – produced in succession.[5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Following one after another without interruption; consecutive: for the third successive year.
  2. Relating to or involving succession.

Word family

  • successively
  • successiveness
  • unsuccessive
  • nonsuccessive

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press