ancestor

noun

an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌse-stər How to pronounce ancestor (audio)
 also  -sə-
Synonyms of ancestornext
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.
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

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

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 Many of the brews concocted by founder Shaun Hill are named after his ancestors, who were born and lived on the land where the brewery sits today. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2024 The British put down the rebellion and my ancestor, whom Indians today might call a toady, helped. —Madhur Jaffrey, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ancestor 

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

Phrases Containing ancestor

Dictionary Entries Near ancestor

Ancerata

ancestor

ancestor cult

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestor. Accessed 5 May. 2024.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on ancestor

Nglish: Translation of ancestor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ancestor for Arabic Speakers

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