ancestor
noun
a person from whom one is descended; forebear; progenitor.
ancestors
-
pluralof ancestor.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It broke everybody’s heart . . . because they realized, hey, that could have been their ancestors on the Henrietta Marie.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
In the mid-17th century Morris’s ancestors settled in what would become the Bronx, N.Y., and flourished.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
“We are not even playing music this year because I wanted everyone to be able to hear the sounds of the wind and I feel like the ancestors are speaking to us through the wind.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Several of them have demanded the king takes the next step in making amends for colonisation and the transatlantic slave trade, which his ancestors profited off for centuries.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
“So, what—the ancestors give your hair great volume?”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
