Definition of PROGENITOR (original) (raw)
1
b
: a biologically ancestral form
Synonyms
Examples of progenitor in a Sentence
the progenitors of modern art wild cats that were the progenitors of the house cat
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But Gilmour, who joined psych-prog progenitors Pink Floyd two years after the band’s 1965 inception, proved vibrant and vital at his fourth show in Los Angeles and final evening of a three-night-stand at the Hollywood Bowl. —
Katherine Turman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024 Among the astronomers, it is generally believed that these nuclei are the fragments released from a common progenitor. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 And while Luft had numerous examples of the progenitor for Porsche displayed throughout the sprawling exhibition space, a 356B Cabriolet drew some of the biggest crowds, not only for its distinctive styling but for its A-list owner. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2024 The progenitor of party culture, no one did it better than Puff Daddy back in the day. —Amy Dubois Barnett, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for progenitor 
Word History
Etymology
Middle English progenitour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin prōgenitor "individual from whom a person or family is descended, ancestor," agentive derivative of prōgignere "to produce as offspring, bring into being, give rise to" (from prō- pro- entry 2 + gignere "to bring into being, beget, give birth to"), after genitor "father, parent, originator," going back to Indo-European *ǵenh1- "engender, beget" + *-tor/*-tōr, agent suffix, from which also Greek genétōr "father, begetter, ancestor," Sanskrit janitar-, janitá "father, progenitor" — more at kin entry 1
Note: Alternatively genitor has been explained as a new formation based on genitus, past participle of gignere. The older and still somewhat more attractive view sees genitus as the new formation, based on the perfect genuī or on genitor itself, after the connection with the original verbal adjective (g)nātus (going back to zero-grade *ǵn̥h1-to-) became weakened.
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of progenitor was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near progenitor
Cite this Entry
“Progenitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/progenitor. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
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Last Updated: 4 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences
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