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ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor | \ ˈan-ˌses-tər also -səs- How to pronounce ancestor (audio) \

Definition of ancestor

1a : 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.
b : forefather sense 2
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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for ancestor

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

descendant (also descendent)

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Examples of ancestor in a Sentence

My ancestors came to America during the 1800s. Her ancestors were great sea captains.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 In the comics, Dane’s ancestor is the original Black Knight: Sir Percy of Scandia, a Knight of the Round Table and Camelot’s greatest warrior. — Alejandra Salazar, refinery29.com, "Kit Harington Will Wield A Different Kind Of Sword For Marvel’s The Eternals," 24 Aug. 2019 Janet Taylor Picket depicts her life as an African American and that of her ancestors as slaves with paintings of dresses, and Alexandra Dillon paints portraits of women in the spirit of Roman-Egyptian mummy portraits on vintage garments. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "In Oceanside Museum of Art’s ‘Dress Rehearsal,’ artists use garment in unexpected ways," 21 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ancestor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of ancestor

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for ancestor

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

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More Definitions for ancestor

ancestor

noun
How to pronounce ancestor (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of ancestor

: a person who was in someone's family in past times : one of the people from whom a person is descended
: an animal in the past from which a modern animal developed
: something in the past from which something else has developed

See the full definition for ancestor in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor | \ ˈan-ˌse-stər How to pronounce ancestor (audio) \

Kids Definition of ancestor

1 : a person from whom someone is descended
2 : something from which something else develops

ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor

Legal Definition of ancestor

1a : 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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More from Merriam-Webster on ancestor

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with ancestor

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ancestor

Spanish Central: Translation of ancestor

Nglish: Translation of ancestor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ancestor for Arabic Speakers

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