as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
the progenitors of today's Maya once ruled a mighty empire that stretched across much of Central America
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of progenitor
But Larsson’s may be the first remix album in recent memory to arrive with greater anticipation than its progenitor.
—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
In a scene following the triumph of successfully creating a human blastocyst outside the womb, IVF’s three progenitors face the Medical Research Council.
—
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Perhaps an early progenitor of slow cinema, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly remains one of the finest examples of the Western genre and one of Eastwood’s very best performances.
—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
Keeping in tradition with its American progenitor, the first ever Saturday Night Live UK began with a political send-up cold open.
—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for progenitor
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
In a scene following the triumph of successfully creating a human blastocyst outside the womb, IVF’s three progenitors face the Medical Research Council.
—
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Perhaps an early progenitor of slow cinema, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly remains one of the finest examples of the Western genre and one of Eastwood’s very best performances.
—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
Keeping in tradition with its American progenitor, the first ever Saturday Night Live UK began with a political send-up cold open.
—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for progenitor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for progenitor
Noun
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But just because our microbiome differs from our ancestors' doesn't mean reverting to an earlier model is better.
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The range of Pennsylvania Dutch vocabulary reflects the immediate, physical nature of my ancestors’ lives and work.
Noun
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Both my grandfathers had been coal miners.
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Her grandfather was able to escape and later fought against the Nazis in the Russian army.
Noun
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Doherty's father, uncle, cousin and other family members are buried at the cemetery in Newton, Massachusetts.
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The father, Marquise Anderson, said Joanna wet the bed on two occasions on a night in February at the house in the 1900 block of Daniel Street.
Cite this Entry
“Progenitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/progenitor. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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