ancestor

noun

an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌse-stər How to pronounce ancestor (audio)
 also  -sə-
1
a
: one from whom a person is descended and who is usually more remote in the line of descent than a grandparent
Her ancestors came to America in the 1880s.
2
: forerunner, prototype
an exhibit of the ancestors of the modern computer
3
: a progenitor (see progenitor sense 1b) of a more recent or existing species or group
the ancestor of the modern horse

Examples of ancestor in a Sentence

My ancestors came to America during the 1800s. Her ancestors were great sea captains. an ancient animal that was the ancestor of the modern horse The museum included an exhibit showing ancestors of the modern computer. several languages that are derived from a common ancestor Latin is the ancestor of Italian and French.
Recent Examples on the Web Our cats’ ancestors, by comparison, hunted and existed in solitude. Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Home to Native Americans whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 But most importantly, Salazar honors the ancestors and the spiritual rituals that shaped him as an artist. Brenda Barrientos, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 The new artifacts—which were found between these two other sites—support the theory that human ancestors spread from east to west into Europe at this time, the study authors write. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 My ancestors, my DNA, my culture, all these things contribute to me being honorable toward that culture and representing. Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 6 Mar. 2024 And a child may hear about some distant Native ancestor, then build an identity around what turns out to be a bit of family lore. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 With a love for all things outdoors, Green’s connection to soil dates back to her ancestors. Pauleanna Reid, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 While Turner recorded, Dawley sang a song of unknown origin, passed down through the generations by her ancestors. Joshua Kagavi, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ancestor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ancestor was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ancestor

Cite this Entry

“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestor. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌses-tər How to pronounce ancestor (audio)
1
: one from whom an individual, group, or species is descended
2
: something from which something else has developed : forerunner
Etymology

Middle English ancestre "ancestor," from early French ancestre (same meaning), from Latin antecessor "one that goes before," derived from earlier antecedere "to go before," from ante- "before" and cedere "to go, yield" — related to concede, predecessor

Legal Definition

ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor
1
a
: a person from whom an individual is descended : ascendant
b
: a person from whom an estate descends compare heir
2
: one that precedes
ancestor in title

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