progenitor |
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American Heritage Dictionary (3 definitions)
- A direct ancestor. See Synonyms at ancestor.
- An originator of a line of descent; a precursor.
- An originator; a founder: progenitors of the new music.
–noun
Century Dictionary (1 definition)
- An ancestor in the direct line; a forefather; a parent.
–noun
Wiktionary (6 definitions)
GNU Webster's 1913 (1 definition)
WordNet (1 definition)
Elsewhere on the web
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But if better adapted, it must, sooner or later, “improve” its progenitor from the face of the earth, and take its place.
She was simply a high-toned freak, but an animal with a clean pedigree back to some great progenitor is valuable independently of individual earning qualities.
It may be comfortable to one's feelings to know that a certain progenitor of ours made boots at the time of the Conquest, though I am never quite sure in my mind that they had bootmakers then; but my historical knowledge was always defective.
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Pronunciations
/(prō-jĕnˈĭ-tər)/
ahd pronounces "progenitor"
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Etymology
American Heritage Dictionary (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.
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