succession

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suc·ces·sion / səkˈseshən/ • n. 1. a number of people or things sharing a specified characteristic and following one after the other: she had been secretary to a succession of board directors. ∎  Geol. a group of strata representing a single chronological sequence. 2. the action or process of inheriting a title, office, property, etc.: the new king was already elderly at the time of his succession. ∎  the right or sequence of inheriting a position, title, etc.: the succession to the Crown was disputed. ∎  Ecol. the process by which a plant or animal community successively gives way to another until a stable climax is reached.Compare with sere2 .PHRASES: in quick (or rapid) succession following one another at short intervals.in succession following one after the other without interruption: she won the race for the second year in succession.in succession to inheriting or elected to the place of: he is not first in succession to the presidency.settle the succession determine who shall succeed someone.DERIVATIVES: suc·ces·sion·al / -shənl/ adj.

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