easy
My great-grandfather is one of my ancestors.
What does Ancestor mean?
An ancestor is a family member from the past.
Dictionary definition
A person in your family who lived a long time ago, before your grandparents.
Example sentences
Ancestor in a sentence
medium
The family tree showed each ancestor clearly.
hard
An ancestor is a person in your family who lived before you.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice ancestor in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Ancestor
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does ancestor mean?
The correct answer matches the definition: An ancestor is a family member from the past.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to ancestor?
Forebear is close in meaning to ancestor in this dictionary entry.
Practice 3
Which word is an antonym of ancestor?
Descendant contrasts with ancestor in this dictionary entry.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Ancestor
Voice settings
Sounds like
an · ses · ter · strongest beat: an
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordAncestor.
Partnoun.
MeaningAncestor means An ancestor is a family member from the past.
ExampleExample: My great-grandfather is one of my ancestors.
Word breakdown
3 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- an · ses · ter
- Strongest beat
- an
- Ending
- ter
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on an.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Ancestor
Antonyms
Opposite words
descendantA family member who comes after earlier generations.
newcomerSomeone new, not from the earlier family line.
Synonym practice
Want to practice ancestor synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "My ancestor lived long before I was born," then compare close word choices. Practice ancestor synonyms.
Word family
Ancestor word family
Related words
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Student support
Understand Ancestor
Hint for students
An ancestor is a family member from the past.
Common mix-up
Ancestor is not the same as descendant. Ancestor means an ancestor is a family member from the past.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: The family tree showed each ancestor clearly. Clue words: family, tree, showed. Underline clue words that show why ancestor fits instead of descendant. Now write one new sentence that shows ancestor without using the word ancestor. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show ancestor?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "The family tree showed each ancestor clearly." Why does ancestor fit better than descendant?
Learning activities
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