Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
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.

By comparing many species, the researchers traced this unusual walking style back to a shared ancestor that lived roughly 200 million years ago.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

Again the reigning successor to George III will be obliged to say nice words about the men his ancestor would gladly have hanged from the nearest tree.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Humans, chimps and bonobos share a common ancestor going back 7 million years or so.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

This fossil is the first confirmed egg ever found from a mammal ancestor.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

And there is a whole subgenre of ancestor research—sons and daughters flying to New York clutching scrapbooks, tracking down letters of indenture, photographs, birth certificates.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline




Vocabulary lists containing ancestor


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "ancestor" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com