ancestor
pronunciation
How to pronounce ancestor in British English:
UK [ˈænsestə(r)]
How to pronounce ancestor in American English:
US [ˈænsestər]
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- Noun:
- someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
Word Origin
- ancestor
- ancestor: [13] Ultimately, ancestor is the same word as antecedent [14]: both come from the Latin compound verb antecēdere ‘precede’, formed from the prefix ante- ‘before’ and the verb cēdere ‘go’ (source of English cede and a host of related words, such as proceed and access). Derived from this was the agent noun antecessor ‘one who precedes’, which was borrowed into Old French at two distinct times: first as ancessour, and later as ancestre, which subsequently developed to ancêtre. Middle English had examples of all three of these forms. The modern spelling, ancestor, developed in the 16th century.=> access, antecedent, cede, precede, proceed
- ancestor (n.)
- c. 1300, ancestre, antecessour, from Old French ancestre (12c., Modern French ancêtre), from Late Latin antecessor "predecessor," literally "foregoer," agent noun from past participle stem of Latin antecedere "to precede," from ante- "before" (see ante) + cedere "to go" (see cede). Current form from early 15c. Feminine form ancestress recorded from 1570s.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Scientists suspect this early human ancestor did both .
- 2. Its immediate ancestor is probably also relatively new to chimpanzees .
- 3. That last common ancestor suddenly had the southern jungles to themselves .
- 4. A distinguished ancestor will bring pride to his descendants for thousands of years .
- 5. Many experts think the common ancestor lived at least 7 million years ago .