as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
the progenitors of today's Maya once ruled a mighty empire that stretched across much of Central America
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Recent Examples of progenitor
There is good reason for this since boysenberry’s progenitors include European blackberry, European raspberry, loganberry (a blackberry-raspberry hybrid), and dewberry, a kind of blackberry native to the central and southern United States.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
But it's still considered the progenitor of the fiery food that's inspired countless other spots, like Hattie B's, Bolton's Spicy Chicken and Fish and 400 Degrees.
—Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The Outlaw movement progenitor was celebrated throughout his career by fellow groundbreaking and progressive-minded performers, including Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver and Shel Silverstein, while influencing modern era icons like Garth Brooks.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Across much of eastern North America, from Tennessee through Nova Scotia, skunk cabbage emerges before the vernal equinox in mid-March, pushing out of the snow and frozen mud like some primordial progenitor of the warmer weather to come.
—Skylar Knight, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for progenitor
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
But it's still considered the progenitor of the fiery food that's inspired countless other spots, like Hattie B's, Bolton's Spicy Chicken and Fish and 400 Degrees.
—Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The Outlaw movement progenitor was celebrated throughout his career by fellow groundbreaking and progressive-minded performers, including Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver and Shel Silverstein, while influencing modern era icons like Garth Brooks.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Across much of eastern North America, from Tennessee through Nova Scotia, skunk cabbage emerges before the vernal equinox in mid-March, pushing out of the snow and frozen mud like some primordial progenitor of the warmer weather to come.
—Skylar Knight, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for progenitor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for progenitor
Noun
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That was how your ancestors lived for almost all of human history.—
John C. Goodman,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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And yet, for us, the memory of our ancestors’ strength and courage during times even more trying than ours is a grounding force.—
Brad Riew,
People.com,
29 July 2025
Noun
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Just across the river from Wilmington, on the other side of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Scott’s Auto repair shop founded by his grandfather has been a mainstay in Carneys Point, N.J., since 1978.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Back in November 2023, Johnson proudly showed off that his granddaughter had dressed up just like her NBA player grandfather.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
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The son of Joseph, a Native Hawaiian painter, and Coni, an artist largely of European descent, he was born in Honolulu but mostly raised by his mother in Iowa while spending several summers in Hawaii with his father.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
1 Aug. 2025
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His father, Santiago Jiménez Sr., and grandfather, Patricio Jiménez, were stewards of traditional conjunto music.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Progenitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/progenitor. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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