Forefather

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɔːˌfɑːðə/

Definitions

1. An ancestor from whom one is descended, especially from several generations in the past
2. A historical figure regarded as an ancestor who has played a vital role in shaping a lineage or cultural heritage
3. A predecessor or ancestor who significantly contributed to the lineage and cultural legacy of descendants over time

Etymology: Old English speakers built "forefæder" from two plain parts: "fore," meaning "before" or "in front," and "fæder," meaning "father." The result was simply the one who came before in the line of fathers, and the word has stayed close to that picture ever since. Its Germanic relatives tell the same story: Dutch "voorvader," German "Vorvater," Danish "forfader," and Swedish "förfader" all combine the same elements. English has used the word since the Middle English period, when spellings such as "forefader," "forfader," and "vorvader" appeared. Some scholars think Old Norse "forfaðir" may also have blended into the English form, so the word's shape reflects contact between the two languages, though the core history is native Germanic material.

Synonyms: ancestor, forebear, progenitor

Antonyms: descendant, offspring