ancestor

an·ces·tor

noun \ˈan-ˌses-tər also -səs-\

Definition of ANCESTOR

1

a : one from whom a person is descended and who is usually more remote in the line of descent than a grandparent b : forefather 2

2

: forerunner, prototype

3

: a progenitor of a more recent or existing species or group

Examples of ANCESTOR

1. My ancestors came to America during the 1800s.
2. Her ancestors were great sea captains.
3. an ancient animal that was the ancestor of the modern horse
4. The museum included an exhibit showing ancestors of the modern computer.
5. several languages that are derived from a common ancestor
6. Latin is the ancestor of Italian and French.

Origin of ANCESTOR

Middle English ancestre, from Anglo-French, from Latin antecessor predecessor, from antecedere to go before, from ante- + cedere to go

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to ANCESTOR

Synonyms: father, forebear (also forbear), forebearer, forefather, grandfather, primogenitor, progenitor

Antonyms: descendant (also descendent)

Related Words: antecessor, predecessor [archaic]; ancestress, foremother, grandmother, matriarch; grandsire [archaic], patriarch, sire [archaic]; ancestry, antecedents, roots

Near Antonyms: children, family, issue, lineage, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, stock; daughter, heir, inheritor, scion, son, successor

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

Rhymes with ANCESTOR

arrester, attester, contester, detester, digester, infester, investor, Manchester, molester, northwester, requester, Rochester, semester, sequester, southwester, sou'wester, suggester, trimester