ancestor
/'ænsistə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A person from whom one is descended, typically more remote than a grandparent: An "ancestor" is a person in your family line from a past generation, such as a great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent, or someone even further back in your lineage.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- My ancestors came to this country over two hundred years ago.
- Scientists study ancient fossils to learn about our evolutionary ancestors.
- She is researching her ancestors to build a family tree.
Advanced Usage
- "Common ancestor": In biology and genealogy, this refers to an ancestor shared by two or more different lines of descent.
- Humans and chimpanzees are believed to share a common ancestor.
- "Direct ancestor": An ancestor from whom you are descended in a straight line (e.g., parent, grandparent, great-grandparent), as opposed to a collateral relative like an aunt or uncle.
- This document proves he is a direct ancestor of the royal family.
Variants and Related Words
- Ancestral (adj): Relating to or inherited from ancestors.
- They visited their ancestral homeland.
- Ancestry (n): One's family or ethnic descent; lineage.
- Her ancestry is a mix of several European cultures.
Synonyms
- Forebear: A more formal term for an ancestor.
- Progenitor: An ancestor or parent; often used in biological or formal contexts.
- Predecessor: One who precedes another in time, especially in a position or office (can be used more broadly than just family).
Antonyms
- Descendant: A person who is descended from a particular ancestor.
- She is a descendant of the original settlers.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "To trace one's ancestors": To research and map out one's family lineage.
- He used online records to trace his ancestors back to the 1700s.
Noun
- someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)