Meaning & use
progenitors
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“progenitors” is a form of “progenitor”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralformal
People or animals from whom a family or group is descended; ancestors.
Grammar: Plural of progenitor: our progenitors.
Patterns
- the progenitors of someone
- progenitors of a family
The progenitors of the royal family came from a small mountain village.
Scientists studied the wild progenitors of the modern domestic dog.
Their progenitors had farmed the same valley for centuries.
nounpluralformalfigurative
Earlier things, ideas or people that influenced or led to a later development.
Grammar: Often followed by of: progenitors of a movement.
Patterns
- the progenitors of something
Early radio shows were the progenitors of today's podcasts.
The writers are seen as progenitors of modern science fiction.
Those small experiments were the progenitors of the whole industry.
Word forms
| singular | progenitor |
|---|
Common combinations
- wild progenitors
- The wild progenitors of wheat still grow in the Middle East.
- progenitors of a movement
- They were the progenitors of a new artistic movement.
- common progenitors
- Both species descend from common progenitors.
- direct progenitors
- His direct progenitors came from Ireland.
- early progenitors
- The early progenitors of the language left no written records.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ancestors
- Ancestors is the everyday word and always means family members, whereas progenitors can also mean earlier ideas or forms.
- forebears
- Forebears sounds warm and family-focused, while progenitors is more clinical.
- precursors
- Precursors are things that came before and led to something, but do not have to be ancestors.
- originators
- Originators started an idea or business rather than being a biological source.
Opposites
Word family
- progenitor noun
- a single ancestor or originator
- progeny noun
- offspring or descendants
- progenitive adjective
- able to produce offspring
- progeniture noun
- the act of bringing forth offspring
Commonly confused: progenitors or prognosis? progenitors or progeny?
progenitors vs prognosis
A prognosis is a medical forecast, while progenitors are ancestors or earlier sources.
progenitors vs progeny
Progeny means the descendants, which is the opposite direction from progenitors.
Practice
The wild progenitors of cultivated corn grew in Mexico. What does progenitors mean here?
Choose one answer.
Progenitors are the ancestors from which something developed. The other options do not describe origin.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “progenitors”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.