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

To be sure, in the late 1800s and especially in the years before and after the Holocaust, many Jews emigrated from various European countries to the land of their forefathers. —Avi Shafran, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2024

Elendil, a pivotal figure in J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology, is the forefather of Aragorn’s lineage, famously portrayed by Viggo Mortensen in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Aug. 2024

The Harlem of today is a global destination thanks to the vision of our forefathers. —Lloyd Williams, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2024

But are most guys really fixated on the way our decline mirrors that of our forefathers? —Judy Berman, TIME, 17 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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