progenitor

noun

pro·​gen·​i·​tor prō-ˈje-nə-tər 

prə-

1

a

: an ancestor in the direct line : forefather

b

: a biologically ancestral form

2

: precursor, originator

progenitors of socialist ideas

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

progenitor cells

Synonyms

• ancestor
• father
• forebear
• forbear
• forebearer
• forefather
• grandfather
• primogenitor

Examples of progenitor in a Sentence

the progenitors of modern art

wild cats that were the progenitors of the house cat

Recent Examples on the Web

The two Metroidvania progenitors — 1986’s Metroid and 1987’s Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest — cultivated a sense of geographical bewilderment by letting players unfurl the secrets of their arcane worlds in any direction along the X and Y axes. —Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025

That series’ progenitor, Twin Peaks (1990-92) — also co-written with Frost — was the first network series to be organized around one character’s death and a community’s response to it. —Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2025

Each foot represents a year in the life of Joseph Smith Jr., the progenitor, prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who was born on that humble spot on December 23, 1805. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2024

This evidence for the presence of liquid water on the ancient body from which Bennu formed provides a tantalizing possibility: the possibility that Bennu’s progenitor may have seen the first stirrings of life. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English progenitour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin prōgenitor "individual from whom a person or family is descended, ancestor," agentive derivative of prōgignere "to produce as offspring, bring into being, give rise to" (from prō- pro- entry 2 + gignere "to bring into being, beget, give birth to"), after genitor "father, parent, originator," going back to Indo-European *ǵenh₁- "engender, beget" + *-tor/*-tōr, agent suffix, from which also Greek genétōr "father, begetter, ancestor," Sanskrit janitar-, janitá "father, progenitor" — more at kin entry 1

Note: Alternatively genitor has been explained as a new formation based on genitus, past participle of gignere. The older and still somewhat more attractive view sees genitus as the new formation, based on the perfect genuī or on genitor itself, after the connection with the original verbal adjective (g)nātus (going back to zero-grade *ǵn̥h₁-to-) became weakened.

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for progenitor

• senator

Medical Definition

progenitor

noun

pro·​gen·​i·​tor prō-ˈjen-ət-ər, prə- 

1

: an ancestor of an individual in a direct line of descent along which some or all of the ancestral genes could theoretically have passed

2

: a biologically ancestral form