progenitor

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English

WOTD – 5 July 2009

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English, from Middle French progeniteur (Modern French progéniteur), from Latin progenitor, from progenitus, perfect participle of progignere (“to beget”), itself from pro- (“forth”) + gignere (“to beget”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /pɹəʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.tə/, /pɹəˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.tə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /pɹoʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.tɚ/, /pɹəˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.tɚ/

Noun

progenitor (plural progenitors)

  1. A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors.
    Synonyms: ancestor, forefather
    Coordinate terms: progenitrix, foremother
  2. 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.
  3. (biology) An ancestral form of a species.
  4. (figuratively) A predecessor of something, especially if also a precursor or model.
    ARPANET was the progenitor of the Internet.
    Are neural progenitor cells infected by Zika virus?
  5. (figuratively) Someone who originates something.
  6. A founder.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Further reading

Anagrams

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prōgenitōrem.

Pronunciation

Noun

progenitor m (plural progenitors, feminine progenitora)

  1. progenitor

Further reading

Latin

Etymology

From pro- +‎ genitor.

Pronunciation

Noun

prōgenitor m (genitive prōgenitōris); third declension

  1. (rare) ancestor, progenitor

Declension

Third-declension noun.

singular plural
nominative prōgenitor prōgenitōrēs
genitive prōgenitōris prōgenitōrum
dative prōgenitōrī prōgenitōribus
accusative prōgenitōrem prōgenitōrēs
ablative prōgenitōre prōgenitōribus
vocative prōgenitor prōgenitōrēs

Coordinate terms

Descendants

References

  • “progenitor”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “progenitor”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • progenitor in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin prōgenitor.

Pronunciation

 
 

  • Hyphenation: pro‧ge‧ni‧tor

Noun

progenitor m (plural progenitores, feminine progenitora, feminine plural progenitoras)

  1. progenitor (any of a person’s direct ancestors)
  2. (figuratively) progenitor (a predecessor of something)

Further reading

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin prōgenitor.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pɾoxeniˈtoɾ/
  • Rhymes: -oɾ
  • Syllabification: pro‧ge‧ni‧tor

Noun

progenitor m (plural progenitores, feminine progenitora, feminine plural progenitoras)

  1. progenitor

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia