forefather

noun

fore·​fa·​ther ˈfȯr-ˌfä-t͟hər 

1

: ancestor sense 1a

2

: a person of an earlier period and common heritage

Synonyms

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

Examples of forefather in a Sentence

our forefathers bought this farm, and our family has worked it for three generations

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, Zinke told Outside that his vision for public land management comes from the forefathers of the U.S. National Parks. —Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 19 May 2025

Transportation secretaries normally have little to do with tariff policy, but Duffy has presented himself as one of the intellectual forefathers of Trump’s current trade agenda. —Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 19 May 2025

The triumphs of his forefathers, the great king Akbar and Shah Jahan, have been written out of history textbooks, Rezavi said, or not taught in schools. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025

Boland is one of them, as well as a forefather of the Red Dirt genre. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forefather

• bother
• father
• godfather
• grandfather
• stepfather

Kids Definition

forefather

noun

fore·​fa·​ther ˈfō(ə)r-ˌfät͟h-ər 

ˈfȯ(ə)r-,

-ˌfȧt͟h-

1

: ancestor sense 1

2

: a person of an earlier period and similar culture