ancestor

1 a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent Bridie's Irish ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 19th century during the Great Potato Famine Synonyms of ancestor father, forebear (also forbear), forebearer, forefather, grandfather, primogenitor, progenitor Words Related to ancestor antecessor, predecessor [archaic]; ancestress, foremother, grandmother, matriarch; grandsire [archaic], patriarch, sire [archaic]; ancestry, antecedents, roots Near Antonyms of ancestor children, family, issue, lineage, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, stock; daughter, heir, inheritor, scion, son, successor Antonyms of ancestor descendant (also descendent)

2 something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed pinball machines—the ancestors of today's video games—go back to the 19th century Synonyms of ancestor antecedent, archetype, daddy, foregoer, forerunner, granddaddy (also grandaddy), precursor, predecessor, prototype Words Related to ancestor model, original; originator, sire; father, mother Near Antonyms of ancestor by-product, derivative, offshoot, outgrowth, spin-off; daughter, son Antonyms of ancestor descendant (also descendent)