successive
- 1Following one right after another, in order.
Like steps on a staircase, one coming right after another.
The team won three successive games this season.
She made four successive attempts before reaching the summit.
Similarconsecutive, straight, running
Note
- 2Relating to a title or right that passes down through a family.
The throne was a successive honor, passed from each ruler to the next heir.
When the old lord died, the family's successive title went to his oldest son.
Similarhereditary, inherited
Oppositeelective
Note
- 3Describing a verb form that shows one action must finish before the main action happens.
Like finishing one chore before you are allowed to start the next.
In this language, a successive verb form tells you the first action ended before the second began.
Students learned to spot the successive ending that marks a completed earlier action.
Note
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of successive apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
It comes from the Latin word "succedere," meaning "to succeed in."