I loved your posting on the Tory Spelling thread.

I have a hunch that supersede came from medieval Latin legalese. Legal usage would explain its current meaning and the apparent lack of a classical precedent. (I understand that there are many forms and words in medieval Latin that were invented or derived.)

Also, you are right that the basic meaning of cedere is not “yield,” but does it really mean go? My dictionary is giving me “go from,” in the sense of depart.