ancestor
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++an·ces·tor /ˈænsəstə, -ses- $ -sestər/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 FAMILYa member of your family who lived a long time ago 祖先，祖宗 → descendant My ancestors were French. 我的祖先是法国人。► see thesaurus at relative2 an animal that lived in the past, that modern animals have developed from 〔动物的〕原种，祖先 Lions and house cats evolved from a common ancestor (=the same ancestor). 狮子和家猫从共同的原种进化而来。3 FIRSTthe form in which a modern machine, vehicle etc first existed 〔现代机器、车辆等的〕原型 SYN forerunnerancestor of Babbage’s invention was the ancestor of the modern computer. 巴比奇的发明是现代计算机的原型。 —ancestral /ænˈsestrəl/ adjective the family’s ancestral home 这个家族的祖居
Examples from the Corpus
ancestor• There had been twelve of the chairs originally, made in 1750 for an ancestor of ours in Jamestown.• During the festival of Obon, Japanese show respect to their dead ancestors.• It is also found at all levels, not just among our nearest evolutionary ancestors, the monkeys and the apes.• It's no surprise to learn that she numbers among her ancestors the Brothers Grimm.• His ancestor had been Gia Long, the emperor whose cause had been helped by Pigneau de Behaine.• My ancestors originally came form Ireland.• Blood, he tells us, was associated by our ancestors with iron, because of the red that hides within the ore.• Most of Luke's ancestors were Italian.• About 7 million years ago the ancestors of mankind began to diverge from the ancestors of modern chimpanzees.• This form developed bipedalism and other adaptations to the newly opening arid savannah landscape and eventually became the ancestor of man.• Ray was knocking them down one by one, unlike his tragic ancestor who only knocked himself down.Origin ancestor (1300-1400) Old French ancestre, from Latin antecessor “one who goes before”, from antecedere; → ANTECEDENTan·ces·tor nounChineseSyllable
family time member ago lived your of a a Corpus who long
ancestor
an‧ces‧tor /ˈænsəstə, -ses- $ -sestər/
noun [countable]
My ancestors were French.
2. an animal that lived in the past, that modern animals have developed from:
Lions and house cats evolved from a common ancestor (=the same ancestor).
3. the form in which a modern machine, vehicle etc first existed
SYN forerunner
ancestor of
Babbage’s invention was the ancestor of the modern computer.
—ancestral /ænˈsestrəl/ adjective:
the family’s ancestral home
▪ relative a member of your family, especially one who does not live with you: Most of her relatives were able to come to the wedding. | We have some distant relatives in Australia.
▪relation a member of your family. Relation means the same as relative. It is often used when talking about whether someone is in the same family as another person: Big cities can be lonely places if you have no friends or relations there. | ‘What relation is she to you?’ ‘She’s my half sister.’ | He’s no relation to the singer.
▪descendant someone who is a family member of a person who lived and died a long time ago, for example the great-grandchild of that person: The people are the descendants of slaves who were brought over from Africa.
▪ancestor a member of your family who lived a long time ago, especially hundreds of years ago: My ancestors originally came from Ireland.
▪forefathers especially written people in your family who lived a long time ago - often used in historical descriptions: His forefathers came to America over a century ago.
▪extended family a family group that consists not only of parents and children, but also includes grandparents, aunts etc: Extended families rarely live together in Britain, but they are still important.
▪folks especially American English informal your family, especially your parents: Are you going to see your folks at Christmas?
▪next of kin the person or people who are most closely related to you, for example your husband or mother, and who need to be told if something serious happens to you: The next of kin must be notified of his death before his name is released to the press.
an‧ces‧tor /ˈænsəstə, -ses- $ -sestər/
noun [countable] Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: ancestre, from Latin antecessor 'one who goes before', from antecedere; ⇨ antecedent
1. a member of your family who lived a long time ago ⇨ descendant:Language: Old French
Origin: ancestre, from Latin antecessor 'one who goes before', from antecedere; ⇨ antecedent
2. an animal that lived in the past, that modern animals have developed from:
3. the form in which a modern machine, vehicle etc first existed
SYN forerunner
ancestor of
—ancestral /ænˈsestrəl/ adjective:
| THESAURUS |
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪