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
These shows stem from ideological progenitor shows like Last Man Standing, a comedy about a man whose family just can’t (or won’t) live up to his political and cultural expectations.
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Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2024
Burke, a veteran foreign correspondent for The Guardian, traces the intellectual progenitors of the modern ideas of jihad that inspired bin Laden and his followers.
—Hisham Melhem, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2015
While Bologna and Modena engaged in a friendly dispute over the paternity of Tortellini for centuries, the town of Castelfranco Emilia was declared its progenitor in the 1800s.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Overall, Double Exposure honors players’ personal experience with its progenitor by making your past decisions reverberate in Max’s.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for progenitor 
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2024
Burke, a veteran foreign correspondent for The Guardian, traces the intellectual progenitors of the modern ideas of jihad that inspired bin Laden and his followers.
—Hisham Melhem, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2015
While Bologna and Modena engaged in a friendly dispute over the paternity of Tortellini for centuries, the town of Castelfranco Emilia was declared its progenitor in the 1800s.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Overall, Double Exposure honors players’ personal experience with its progenitor by making your past decisions reverberate in Max’s.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for progenitor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for progenitor
Noun
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In another ironic twist, Kayce sells it for the ridiculously low price of $1.25 an acre, the original price his ancestors paid.Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Dec. 2024
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Hunting is usually instinctual behavior for cats, inherited from their wild ancestors, and while most domestic cats are pro hunters, others back off from this duty or kill prey and then leave it without eating it.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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His grandfather Campbell Forsyth made four appearances in goal for Scotland in 1964 and his father Stuart Burgess, also a defender, had a distinguished career in the Scottish leagues.Asif Burhan, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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Jenna’s grandfather had just been scammed by someone claiming to be a detective, so Kara told Jenna to be cautious about giving out personal information or passwords.Taylor Galgano, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Vasquez grew up in the Philippines and credits his father for instilling in him a love of singing.Daniela Avila, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
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James and Elisabeth Murdoch are both known to have less-conservative political views than their father or brother, potentially complicating efforts to ensure that Fox News remains conservative.CBS News, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Progenitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/progenitor. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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