Supersede or supercede?
Writing for Business
Which is correct?
Many experts predict that cloud computing will completely _______ desktop computing within the not-too-distant future.
a. supersede
b. supercede
c. superseed
Answer: a.
Explanation:
Supersede is the correct spelling. The word means to supplant or take the place of. Supercede is not a word, although you’d think it might be related to intercede and precede. Superseed would be like the ones that grew Jack’s bean stalk.
Like the question in yesterday’s post about augur vs. auger, the idea for this one came from @EditorMark’s Twitter Archive:
For nonseed words ending with a seed sound, “supersede” is unique. Three end in “ceed” and start “ex,” “pro,” and “suc.” Otherwise, “-cede.”
“Cede” words start ac-, con-, inter-, pre-, re-, and se-. And then there is “seed.” Some “seed” words: ani-, lin-, poppy-, rape-, and bird-.
