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Showing results for ancestor.
Definitions

ancestor

[an-ses-ter, -suh-ster] / ˈæn sɛs tər, -sə stər /


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.

The hedge-born man conceived in a hookup under the hawthorn bushes in 17th-century Britain was the direct linguistic ancestor of today’s naked short-sellers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Both 72, they call the event Los Tradicionales — “the traditional ones” — because their goal is to help preserve Cuba’s rich dance heritage, from rumba to timba to casino, an ancestor of salsa.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

The site contains a large collection of fossils dating back about 1 million years, including a previously unknown ancestor of the kākāpō, a large flightless parrot.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

Lord Courtenay entered the upper chamber in 2018 after inheriting his late father's title, which was first given to a distant ancestor in 1142, almost 900 years ago.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

The Jomon language of Kyushu may instead have shared a common ancestor with the Austronesian language family, which includes Polynesian and Indonesian languages and the Aboriginal languages of Taiwan.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond




Vocabulary lists containing ancestor