Meaning of ancestor in English

1. Pronunciation

   /ˈænˌsɛstər/

   US accent

   How to pronounce ancestor in American English, in context ▾
   Use the controls below to browse different examples of pronunciation.

   UK accent

   How to pronounce ancestor in British English, in context ▾
   Use the controls below to browse different examples of pronunciation.

1. Noun

   ancestor

   Etymology

   Middle English: from Old French ancestre, from Latin antecessor, from antecedere, from ante‘before’ + cedere‘go’

   Definitions

   1. someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

   Antonyms

   • descendant
   • descendent