predecessor
/ˈpriːdɪsesə(r)/noun
1- a person who held a job or office before the current holder前任; 前辈：
the new President's foreign policy is very similar to that of his predecessor.
新总统的外交政策和前任很相似。
1.1
- a thing that has been followed or replaced by another原有事物, 前身：
the chapel was built in 1864 on the site of its predecessor.
这座教堂是1864年在旧教堂的原址上建起来的。
词源
late Middle English: from late Latin praedecessor, from Latin prae 'beforehand'+decessor 'retiring officer' （from decedere 'depart'）.