Ancestor

/ˈæn.ses.tər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person from whom one is descended; an forebear.

My grandfather is an ancestor whom I never met, but I've heard many stories about him.

An early type of plant or animal from which others have evolved.

The ancestor of the modern horse was much smaller and lived in forests.

A forerunner or predecessor of a particular person or thing.

The ancient Greeks are considered the ancestors of Western civilization.

From Latin 'antecessor', meaning 'one who goes before; predecessor'.

blood ancestor

A direct ancestor related by blood.

common ancestor

An ancestor shared by two or more individuals.

descendant

A person, animal, or plant that is descended from a particular ancestor.

genealogy

The study of family ancestries and histories.

heritage

Property that is or may be inherited; an inheritance.

Ancestorial

Dude, that's some real ancestorial wisdom you're tapping into.