forefather

noun

fore·​fa·​ther ˈfȯr-ˌfä-t͟hər How to pronounce forefather (audio)
1
2
: a person of an earlier period and common heritage

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Named after their great-grandfather, three brothers live with their families in the village, carrying on the traditional pottery work of their forefathers. Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 The statistics were grim—twenty-first-century males were, relative to their forefathers and their female contemporaries, much more likely to fall behind in school, drop out of college, languish in the workforce, or die by overdose or suicide. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025 Until recently, the Wong Kim Ark case was so rarely discussed publicly that even Mr. Wong’s descendants knew little about their history-making forefather. Amy Qin, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025 In the tradition of jam forefathers like the Dead and the Allman Brothers Band, Goose often soar during the concluding portions of their songs, ramping up the increasingly emphatic and euphoric solos. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forefather

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forefather was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Forefather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forefather. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

forefather

noun
fore·​fa·​ther ˈfō(ə)r-ˌfät͟h-ər How to pronounce forefather (audio)
ˈfȯ(ə)r-,
-ˌfȧt͟h-
1
2
: a person of an earlier period and similar culture

More from Merriam-Webster on forefather

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