progenitor

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): /pɹəʊˈdʒɛn.ɪ.tə/, /pɹəˈdʒɛn.ə.tə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /pɹoʊˈdʒɛn.ɪ.tɚ/, /pɹəˈdʒɛn.ə.tɚ/

Noun

progenitor (plural progenitors)

  1. A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors.
  2. An individual from whom one or more people (dynasty, tribe, nation...) are descended.
    Abraham alias Ibrahim is the 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.

Synonyms

Coordinate terms

Derived terms
  • legendary progenitor

Translations
founder — see founder
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Anagrams

Latin

Etymology

From pro- +‎ genitor.

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /proːˈɡe.ni.tor/, [proːˈɡɛ.nɪ.tɔr]

Noun

prōgenitor m (genitive prōgenitōris); third declension

  1. (rare) ancestor, progenitor

Declension

Third declension.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative prōgenitor prōgenitōrēs
Genitive prōgenitōris prōgenitōrum
Dative prōgenitōrī prōgenitōribus
Accusative prōgenitōrem prōgenitōrēs
Ablative prōgenitōre prōgenitōribus
Vocative prōgenitor prōgenitōrēs

Coordinate terms

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

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)

Spanish

Etymology

From pro- +‎ genitor

Noun

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

  1. progenitor
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