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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A direct ancestor. See Synonyms at ancestor.
  2. n. An originator of a line of descent; a precursor.
  3. n. An originator; a founder: progenitors of the new music.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. An ancestor in the direct line; a forefather; a parent.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors
  2. n. An individual from whom one or more people (dyansty, tribe, nation...) are descended.
  3. n. An ancestral form of a species
  4. n. A predecessor of something, especially if also a precursor or model.
  5. n. Someone who originates something.
  6. n. A founder

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. An ancestor in the direct line; a forefather.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. an ancestor in the direct line

Etymologies

  1. Middle English progenitour, from Old French progeniteur, from Latin prōgenitor, from prōgenitus, past participle of prōgignere, to beget : prō-, forward; see pro-1 + gignere, gen-, to beget; see genə- in Indo-European roots.

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.”

    Around & About

  • “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.”

    Boing Boing: November 12, 2006 - November 18, 2006 Archives

  • “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.”

    The Wall Street Journal: Getting Closer to the Root of What Causes Baldness

  • “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.”

    Newsweek: Stem-Cell Breakthrough

  • “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.”

    CNN Transcript Feb 18, 2006

  • “CHRONOS: The earlier cells that are what are called progenitor cells, and they appear to be on the route to become muscle cells.”

    CNN Transcript Feb 15, 2006

  • “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.”

    An African Voice

  • “{Cain is referred to as a progenitor of Grendel, and of monsters in general.}”

    Beowulf An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem

  • “There was, of course, a beginning of human life on earth; and we may, just as we please, call the progenitor "Manu" or "Adam.”

    India, Its Life and Thought

  • “Jacob fled ... served -- Though ye pride yourselves on the great name of "Israel," forget not that your progenitor was the same Jacob who was”

    Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

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‘progenitor’ has been looked up 1617 times, loved by 5 people, added to 44 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 13.