ancestor

noun

an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌse-stər 

 also  -sə-

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

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

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

The ancestors of tens of millions of Americans left miserable lives in Ireland for initially difficult ones here. —Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025

The flights will begin before Chuseok (October 15), also known as Korean Thanksgiving Day, which celebrates both the harvest and their ancestors. —Brandon Withrow, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2025

Jackson was captivated by the use of water as a symbol of freedom and hope for her ancestors in the lyrics of the spirituals. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Mar. 2025

For context, that’s about 100 million years before any of our vertebrate ancestors – animals with a backbone – ever walked on land. —Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2025

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

Phrases Containing ancestor

• ancestor worship

Rhymes for ancestor

• arrester
• digester
• investor
• protester
• requester
• semester
• sequester
• silvester
• trimester
• ester
• esther
• fester

Kids Definition

ancestor

noun

an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌses-tər 

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