ancestor
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /ˈæn.sɛs.tər/
KK: /ˈæn.ses.tɚ/
noun
Definition
A person from whom someone is descended, especially if they lived a long time ago, like a great-grandparent or earlier.
Example
My ancestors came from Europe many generations ago.
Conversation
I started researching my family tree recently.
That sounds fascinating! Have you found anything interesting?
Yeah, I discovered that one of my ancestors came from Italy.
Wow, that's really cool! It must be nice to connect with your roots.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
forebear
progenitor
ancestor
Antonyms
descendant
successor
offspring
Root Explanation
Ancestor → It is formed from "ante-" (meaning before) and "cessor" (from "cedere", meaning to go or yield). The word refers to those who have gone before us in our family lineage.
Memory Tip
Think of someone who has 'gone before' ('ante-') in your family — that's why an ancestor is a person from your family history.
Visually Confused Words
nestor
unancestored