progenitor
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progenitor
- /pɹəʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.tə/ UK
- /pɹəˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.tə/ UK
- /pɹoʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.tɚ/ US
- /pɹəˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.tɚ/ US
Where it comes from
From Middle English progenitour, from Anglo-Norman progenitour, Middle French progeniteur (Modern French progéniteur), and their etymon Latin prōgenitor, from prōgenitus, perfect participle of prōgignere (“to beget”), itself from prō- (“forth”) + gignere (“to beget”). By surface analysis, pro- (“prior, fore-”) + genitor.
noun progenitors · progenitour
-
A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors.
Similar: ancestor, forefather
- A person from whom one or more people (dynasty, tribe, nation…) are descended. Abraham, alias Ibrahim, is the presumed progenitor of both the Jewish and Arab peoples.
- An ancestral form of a species.
- A predecessor of something, especially if also a precursor or model. ARPANET was the progenitor of the Internet.
- Someone who originates something.
- A founder.
Translations
Every language
noun any of a person's direct ancestors
| Español | progenitor |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 祖先 zǔxiān, 先祖 xiānzǔ |
| हिन्दी | पूर्वज pūrvaj |
| Português | progenitor |
| Deutsch | Ahn, Vorfahr, Vorfahre |
| Ελληνικά | πρόγονος prógonos, γεννήτορας gennítoras |
| Română | strămoș, străbun, strămoașă, străbună |
| Русский | прароди́тель prarodítelʹ, пре́док prédok |
| العربية | سَلَف salaf |
noun an individual from which (a) people(s) descend
| हिन्दी | पुरखा purkhā |
|---|---|
| Português | progenitor |
| Deutsch | Stammvater, Urahn, Vorfahr, Vorfahre |
| Ελληνικά | πρόγονος prógonos, πατριάρχης patriárchis |
noun a predecessor of something
| हिन्दी | पूर्वज pūrvaj |
|---|---|
| Português | progenitor |
| Deutsch | Vorläufer |
| Ελληνικά | πρόγονος prógonos |
| Română | predecesor, precursor |
| Русский | предте́ча predtéča, предше́ственник predšéstvennik |
noun someone who originates something
| हिन्दी | जनक janak, जन्मदाता janmadātā |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Erzeuger, Erzeugerin |
| Ελληνικά | γεννήτορας gennítoras |
| Русский | созда́тель sozdátelʹ, основа́тель osnovátelʹ |
Talk about this word "progenitor." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/progenitor. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. progenitor. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/progenitor "progenitor." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/progenitor.Cite this
@misc{progenitor_2026,
title = {progenitor},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/progenitor},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
