Ancestors

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæn.sɛs.təz/

Definitions

1. Progenitors or relatives from earlier generations who shape one's family history and cultural background create a sense of identity and belonging
2. Forbearers belonging to prior generations whose genetic, cultural, and social traits influence current family members establish familial ties and heritage
3. Previous generations of individuals from whom a person descends and who contribute to one's genetic and cultural lineage also define familial connections and historical identity

Etymology: The Latin "antecessor" meant "one who goes before," built from "ante," meaning "before," and "cedere," meaning "to go." Its English descendant, "ancestor," kept that sense of going ahead: the people who walked the path before you. The forebears who went first in a family line became the ones we now call ancestors. The route into English ran through French. Old French "ancestre" came from the Latin nominative form, while "ancessor" came from the accusative "antecessorem," and English borrowed both, producing Middle English forms such as "ancestre," "auncestre," and "ancessour." The spelling settled on "ancestor" later, but the word's shape was already fixed in those medieval variants. The "-tor" ending is the Latin agent suffix, the same piece that appears in words like "doctor" and "actor." Because "cedere" also gives English "cede" and "precede," "ancestor" shares its core with a family of words all about moving forward or yielding ground.

Synonyms: forebears, forefathers, progenitors, precursors, antecedents

Antonyms: descendants, offspring, children, successors, heirs