ancestor

noun

an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌse-stər How to pronounce ancestor (audio)
also -sə-
Synonyms of ancestor
1
a
: one from whom a person is descended and who is usually more remote in the line of descent than a grandparent
Her ancestors came to America in the 1880s.
b
: forefather sense 2
2
: forerunner, prototype
an exhibit of the ancestors of the modern computer
3
: a progenitor (see progenitor sense 1b) of a more recent or existing species or group
the ancestor of the modern horse

Synonyms of ancestor

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of ancestor in a Sentence

My ancestors came to America during the 1800s. Her ancestors were great sea captains. an ancient animal that was the ancestor of the modern horse The museum included an exhibit showing ancestors of the modern computer. several languages that are derived from a common ancestor Latin is the ancestor of Italian and French.
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.
On Día de los Muertos, it is believed that the spirits of ancestors return to visit the living. — Staff Photographer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 But he was plagued by guilt over his ancestor’s role in the trials, and felt compelled to explore themes of human character, greed, and social decay through his work. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 The Halloween season reminds us of ghosts, spirits and ancestors. — Ashton Verdery, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026 These places connect us to our ancestors and provide opportunities to pass knowledge and responsibilities from one generation to the next. — Dana Adkins, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ancestor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ancestre, from Anglo-French, from Latin antecessor predecessor, from antecedere to go before, from ante- + cedere to go

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Phrases Containing ancestor

Rhymes for ancestor

See All Rhymes for ancestor

Browse Nearby Words

Ancerata
ancestor
ancestor cult
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestor. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor ˈan-ˌses-tər How to pronounce ancestor (audio)
1
: one from whom an individual, group, or species is descended
2
: something from which something else has developed : forerunner
Etymology

Middle English ancestre "ancestor," from early French ancestre (same meaning), from Latin antecessor "one that goes before," derived from earlier antecedere "to go before," from ante- "before" and cedere "to go, yield" — related to concede, predecessor

Legal Definition

ancestor

noun
an·​ces·​tor
1
a
: a person from whom an individual is descended : ascendant
b
: a person from whom an estate descends compare heir
2
: one that precedes
ancestor in title
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All