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# progenitor

«progenitor» in Mova's school dictionary: **descended, an ancestor: «the progenitor of the family»** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (a progenitor, progenitors) — formal

### meaning for a pupil

1) (formal) A person or animal from whom others are descended, an ancestor: «the progenitor of the family». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#m1)

2) (formal) A person or thing that starts a movement, idea or style; a founder or first model: «the progenitor of rock music». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#m2)

3) (science) A cell or living thing that later things develop from. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In history and family-tree work it names the first ancestor; in science (evolution, cells) it names the starting form. In stories it gives a grand, old-fashioned feel. Phrases: «the progenitor of», «a common progenitor».

### examples

- He was the progenitor of a long line of farmers. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#x1)
- The wolf is the progenitor of all pet dogs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#x2)
- Some call that band the progenitor of punk music. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#x3)
- Scientists study progenitor cells that grow into blood cells. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#x4)
- Adam is called the progenitor of humankind in the Bible. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#x5)
- The Wright brothers' plane was the progenitor of every modern aircraft. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/#x6)

### note

Countable: progenitor, progenitors. Formal; simpler: «ancestor», «forefather», «founder». The «progeny» are the children or descendants, the opposite end of the family tree.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «progenitor» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/progenitor/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.