noun
- a person or thing from which others are descended; an ancestor or originator
Usage: formal
Examples
- Darwin is considered the progenitor of modern evolutionary theory.
- The ancient oak tree was the progenitor of all the oaks in the forest.
- She traced her family lineage back to a progenitor who arrived in America in the 1600s.
- The company’s founder was the progenitor of many innovative business practices.
- This early computer model was the progenitor of today’s laptops.
- The progenitor of the royal dynasty established the kingdom centuries ago.