ancestor

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Anagrams

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Old English ancestre, auncestre, also ancessour; the first forms from Old French ancestre, French ancêtre, from the Latin nom. antecessor one who goes before; the last form from Old French ancessor, from Latin acc. antecessorem, from antecedere to go before; ante before + cedere to go. See cede, and compare with antecessor.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (WEAE) IPA: /ˈæn.sɛs.tɚ/ or /-toɹ/

[edit] Noun

ancestor (plural ancestors) (female ancestress)

1. One from whom a person is descended, whether on the father's or mother's side, at any distance of time; a progenitor; a fore father.
2. (Biology) An earlier type; a progenitor

   This fossil animal is regarded as the ancestor of the horse.

3. (Law) One from whom an estate has descended;—the correlative of heir.

[edit] Derived terms

• cenancestor

[edit] Translations

[edit] Anagrams

• Alphagram: acenorst
• enactors