---
title: ancestor — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ancestor» in the school dictionary: An ancestor is a person in your family who lived long ago, before your grandparents, like a great-great-grandparent. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ancestor/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [A](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/) / ancestor

# ancestor

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ancestor, family, wolf, ancestors, We, Birds · **What happens:** be, live, develop, come, make, find · **To what, where:** person, family, older kind, ancestor, earlier form, Ireland · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ancestor» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [ancestor in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ancestor.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An ancestor is a person in your family who lived long ago, before your grandparents, like a great-great-grandparent.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:m1:1
# text = An ancestor is a person in your family who lived long ago, before your grandparents, like a great-great-grandparent.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	_
12	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	before	before	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	grandparents	grandparent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
18	like	like	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
20	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	grandparent	grandparent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ancestor | a person and a great great grandparent |  | your family |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | past | your family |  |  |  |  | ago *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An ancestor of an animal or plant is an older kind from which it developed: the wolf is an ancestor of the dog.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:m2:1
# text = An ancestor of an animal or plant is an older kind from which it developed: the wolf is an ancestor of the dog.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	amod	_	_
11	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	obl	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	developed	develop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
20	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
22	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ancestor of a animal or plant | a older kind and a ancestor |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **develop** | past | ancestor |  |  |  |  | from a older kind and a ancestor | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP.product V PP.patient»: agent=Product from which=Patient |
| 3 | **is a** | present | the wolf | a ancestor |  |  |  | of the dog | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An ancestor of a machine or idea is an earlier form of it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:m3:1
# text = An ancestor of a machine or idea is an earlier form of it.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	amod	_	_
11	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ancestor of a machine or idea | a earlier form |  |  |  | of form | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My ancestors came from Ireland on a ship.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x1:1
# text = My ancestors came from Ireland on a ship.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	ancestors	ancestor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Ireland	Ireland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | My ancestors |  |  | Ireland |  | on a ship | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from ireland=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made a family tree to find our ancestors.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x2:1
# text = We made a family tree to find our ancestors.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	ancestors	ancestor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | a family tree |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tree=Product |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | our ancestors |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ancestor=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wolf is the ancestor of the dog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x3:1
# text = The wolf is the ancestor of the dog.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the wolf | the ancestor |  |  |  | of the dog | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Birds have dinosaur ancestors.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x4:1
# text = Birds have dinosaur ancestors.
1	Birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	dinosaur	dinosaur	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	ancestors	ancestor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Birds | dinosaur ancestors |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ancestor=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our ancestors hunted and gathered their food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x5:1
# text = Our ancestors hunted and gathered their food.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	ancestors	ancestor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hunted	hunt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	gathered	gather	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hunt** | past | Our ancestors |  |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **gather** | past | Our ancestors *not said here* | ancestors's food |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma has a photo of an ancestor from 1890.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x6:1
# text = Grandma has a photo of an ancestor from 1890.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	photo	photo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	1890	1890	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Grandma | a photo of a ancestor from 1890 |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent photo=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The horse's ancestor was as small as a fox.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x7:1
# text = The horse's ancestor was as small as a fox.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	ancestor	ancestor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	as	as	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the horse's ancestor |  |  |  |  | as a fox; small *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many cultures tell stories about their ancestors.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x8:1
# text = Many cultures tell stories about their ancestors.
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	cultures	culture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	ancestors	ancestor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | Many cultures | stories |  |  |  | about cultures's ancestors | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent story=Recipient about ancestor=Topic |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Consider what you owe to yourself, and to the blood of your ancestors."

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ancestor:x9:1
# text = Consider what you owe to yourself, and to the blood of your ancestors."
1	Consider	consider	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	1	obj	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	owe	owe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	parataxis	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	ancestors	ancestor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **consider** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent what=Attribute |
| 2 | **owe** | present | you |  | yourself |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent to yourself=Goal |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [anatomy](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/anatomy/)
- next →: [ancestral](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ancestral/)
- ↑ back to [A in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/)