What does supercede mean?
Supercede is a verb meaning to replace something earlier or to take precedence over it. It is especially used when a newer document, rule, decision, procedure, or version makes an older one ineffective or outdated: for example, a revised regulation may supercede the regulation it replaces. The word can also describe a person or official action taking the place of an earlier holder or decision. Supercede is recognized as a variant spelling of the more standard supersede. In formal writing, supersede is normally preferred, and some editors regard supercede as a misspelling or nonstandard form. The word appears in legal, governmental, academic, and technical contexts, where it conveys the formal replacement of an earlier rule or text. It comes from Latin supersedere, meaning to sit above and, by extension, to replace, a development that reflects the older idea of one authority or ruling standing above another.
verbTo take the place of something earlier, especially an earlier version, decision, regulation, or official action. The spelling supercede is a recognized but less common variant of the standard modern spelling supersede.
- To replace or take precedence over something earlier in use, authority, or sequence.
"The newly issued regulation will supercede the previous version when it takes effect."
"The updated policy will supercede the guidance issued last year."
"Her appointment supercedes that of the former chair and takes effect immediately."
It may look like a misspelling, but supercede is a real recorded variant of the more familiar supersede.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does supercede come from?
The word descends from Latin supersedere, formed from super-, meaning over or above, and sedere, meaning to sit. Its literal sense was to sit above something, which developed into the idea of replacing or taking precedence over an earlier person or rule. The English word is recorded from the early modern period, and supercede reflects an older spelling variation alongside the now-standard supersede.
Related word forms
How supercede is actually used
In edited British and American English, supersede is the standard spelling. Supercede is an established variant rather than a separate word, but many editors treat it as an error, so it is most appropriate when reproducing a historical or quoted spelling.
Easily confused with supercede
Supercede and supersede have the same meaning, but supersede is the usual modern spelling, while supercede is a recognized variant.