as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
the progenitors of today's Maya once ruled a mighty empire that stretched across much of Central America
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Recent Examples of progenitor
Burke, a veteran foreign correspondent for The Guardian, traces the intellectual progenitors of the modern ideas of jihad that inspired bin Laden and his followers.
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Hisham Melhem, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2015
While Bologna and Modena engaged in a friendly dispute over the paternity of Tortellini for centuries, the town of Castelfranco Emilia was declared its progenitor in the 1800s.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Overall, Double Exposure honors players’ personal experience with its progenitor by making your past decisions reverberate in Max’s.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
But Gilmour, who joined psych-prog progenitors Pink Floyd two years after the band’s 1965 inception, proved vibrant and vital at his fourth show in Los Angeles and final evening of a three-night-stand at the Hollywood Bowl.
—Katherine Turman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for progenitor 
Hisham Melhem, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2015
While Bologna and Modena engaged in a friendly dispute over the paternity of Tortellini for centuries, the town of Castelfranco Emilia was declared its progenitor in the 1800s.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Overall, Double Exposure honors players’ personal experience with its progenitor by making your past decisions reverberate in Max’s.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
But Gilmour, who joined psych-prog progenitors Pink Floyd two years after the band’s 1965 inception, proved vibrant and vital at his fourth show in Los Angeles and final evening of a three-night-stand at the Hollywood Bowl.
—Katherine Turman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for progenitor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for progenitor
Noun
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Vallée de Farney is a nature preserve located in the untouched forests of Mauritius—where the founder’s ancestor was exiled during the French Revolution.Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
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Eisenberg wanted to convey the irony of yearning to connect with your ancestors’ pain while being unwilling to experience — or even confront — any discomfort while doing so.Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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His grandfather Campbell Forsyth made four appearances in goal for Scotland in 1964 and his father Stuart Burgess, also a defender, had a distinguished career in the Scottish leagues.Asif Burhan, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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Salvador-Velazquez's mom and brother joined her maternal grandfather, who as a Mexican enjoyed authorized residency in the U.S. after working as a laborer for the federal Bracero Program.Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Vasquez grew up in the Philippines and credits his father for instilling in him a love of singing.Daniela Avila, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
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Now, Tyson's son Amir has spoken out about the fight being fixed, along with offering a huge update on whether his father will fight again.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near progenitor
Cite this Entry
“Progenitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/progenitor. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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