ancestor

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“
But I admit I had many prejudices instilled into me, as my ancestor was a Killiecrankie man."

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Definitions (11)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (5)

  1. noun A person from whom one is descended, especially if more remote than a grandparent; a forebear.
  2. noun A forerunner or predecessor.
  3. noun Law The person from whom an estate has been inherited.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (4)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • "My ancestor Your ancestor was a thief," Doc said shortly. —  011 - Brand of the Werewolf
  • When this affects his social status and he finds out that his ancestor was a slave to Lois's family, Peter fights back. —  Torrentreactor.Net
  • I think my ancestor was here long before yours la! —  EVERiBODi LAFU ROJAKS
  • The only thing of note shared by Diana and her ancestor was their celebrity among so-called commoners, but the film barely skims this (it also barely scratches at Georgiana's drinking, gambling, bisexuality and general flamboyance - traits Diana wasn't exactly known for). —  Pajiba
  • They think that their ancestor was the original inventor of this cheap substitute for bird song. —  Woodland Tales
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

descendant ·  hero ·  ruler ·  ancestry ·  tribe ·  predecessor ·  monarch ·  cousin ·  parent ·  god ·  inhabitant ·  heritage

Used in the same contextWord Family

ancestor:   ancestors
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English auncestre, from Old French, from Latin antecessor, predecessor, from antecessus, past participle of antecēdere, to precede : ante-, ante- + cēdere, to go; see ked- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Early modern English ancestor, ancestour, ancester, auncestor, etc., from Middle English ancestre, aunsestre, ancessour, auncessour, etc. (also, without s, ancetre, anncetre, anceter, ancetor, aunsetter, etc., later modern dial, anceter, anster), from Old French ancestre, and ancesor, anceisor, anceisur, ancessor, etc., commonly in plural ancestres (Cotgrave), modern F. ancétres = Provencal ancessor, from Latin antecessor, a foregoer, in plural an advance-guard, in Late Latin a predecessor in office, a teacher or professor of law, ecclesiastical a forerunner (later English antecessor); from antecedere, past participle antecessus, go before, (ante, before, + cedere, go: see antecedent.
 

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/ˈænsɛstər/
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