Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A direct ancestor. See Synonyms at ancestor.
- n. An originator of a line of descent; a precursor.
- n. An originator; a founder: progenitors of the new music.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors
- n. An individual from whom one or more people (dynasty, tribe, nation...) are descended.
- n. An ancestral form of a species
- n. A predecessor of something, especially if also a precursor or model.
- n. Someone who originates something.
- n. A founder
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. An ancestor in the direct line; a forefather.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. An ancestor in the direct line; a forefather; a parent.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. an ancestor in the direct line
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Examples
-
Another obvious literary progenitor is Cormac McCarthy: Reading "Smonk" conjured up the memory of murderous necrophile Lester Ballard from McCarthy's "Child of God."
-
The progenitor is a crook named Armen Boladian who forged George Clinton's signature on an assignment of copyright and has now become a one-man lawsuit factory who threatens legal action against the entire hip-hop world (avid Clinton samplers) unless they pay him tribute.
-
Male pattern baldness: A decline in activity by a special type of stem cell, known as a progenitor cell, found in human hair follicles appears to be responsible for male pattern baldness, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
-
Doctors will inject a derivative of stem cells, called progenitor cells, that manufacture myelin, the substance that coats the long, spindly projections on nerve cells, much the same way that insulation coats electrical wires.
-
NICHOLAS CHRONOS, SAINT JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL: The earlier cells that what are called progenitor cells, and they appear to be on the route to become muscle cells.
-
CHRONOS: The earlier cells that are what are called progenitor cells, and they appear to be on the route to become muscle cells.
-
You have been called the progenitor of the modern African novel, and Things Fall Apart has maintained its resonance in the decades since it was written.
-
{Cain is referred to as a progenitor of Grendel, and of monsters in general.}
-
There was, of course, a beginning of human life on earth; and we may, just as we please, call the progenitor "Manu" or "Adam."
-
Jacob fled ... served -- Though ye pride yourselves on the great name of "Israel," forget not that your progenitor was the same Jacob who was
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.