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.
Baruah has lived in Charing since birth, and her ancestors lived here before her.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
"But as it is coming for those who came before me, our elders and ancestors, we know how to roll up our sleeves and fight. So that's what we're gonna do."
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
More than 4,000 snake species live today, all descended from heavily modified lizard ancestors.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
My mother’s ancestors and my father’s boyhood and Sappho’s fragments and the sea that raised me are all still there, waiting, under a sky the color of alarm.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
It was as though the place was filled with the presence of her ancestors.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
