Synonyms for ancestor
ˈæn sɛs tər; esp. Brit. -sə stəran·ces·tor

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.8 / 6 votes

1. ancestor, ascendant, ascendent, antecedent, rootnoun

   someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

   Synonyms:
   theme, rootage, radical, ascendant, antecedent, etymon, base, beginning, solution, origin, stem, root, source, tooth root, ascendent, forerunner, root word

   Antonyms:
   descendent, descendant

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ancestornoun

   Synonyms:
   forefather, progenitor, father

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:2.4 / 9 votes

1. ancestornoun

   Synonyms:
   forefather, progenitor, primogenitor, forbear

   Associated words:
   atavic, atavism, lineal, collateral, hereditary, heredity, genealogy, genealogist

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "ancestor":

   progenitor, ascendant, forerunner, predecessor, ancestral, old-timer, ascendancy, ancestry

How to pronounce ancestor?

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use ancestor in a sentence?

1. Rhiannon Giddens:

   When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my god. And then I went to Africa, to the Gambia, and studied the akonting, which is an ancestor of the banjo, and just that connection to me was just immense.

2. Laurence J. Peter:

   Every man serves a useful purpose: A miser, for example, makes a wonderful ancestor.

3. Thomas Edelmann:

   I want him to understand what history is, and what history means. Although he doesn't have anything to do with this story, it's our ancestor who has impacted the lives of a whole family who had a life in this country, i want him to learn and understand that whatever decisions he makes has an impact on someone else's life.

4. Frederick Henry Hedge:

   Every man is his own ancestor, and every man is his own heir. He devises his own future, and he inherits his own past.

5. William Hart:

   I'm often asked, how do I feel, knowing that my ancestor's remains were desecrated in such a way -- and I think that the overwhelming emotion that I have every time I'm asked that question and that I continue to have in this moment -- is that I am so happy and encouraged to see so many people care about this issue.