ancestress

noun

Definition of ancestressnext
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as in grandmother

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ancestress The intersection of these two facts does convince me that William's genealogical ancestress, Eliza Kewark, did have South Asian ancestry (not totally surprising even in notionally ethnically distinct groups like Armenians or Parsis who have been long resident in India). — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 June 2013 Instead of being a reticulated mesh the genealogy of mtDNA is a clean and inverted elegant tree leading back to a common ancestress. — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 17 Nov. 2010 Meanwhile, Alice, Dana’s ancestress, never becomes much more than a moral quandary: a stubborn victim who is unable to adapt. — Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestress
  1. grandmother
  2. ancestor
  3. grandfather
  4. matriarch
  5. progenitor
  6. forebear
  7. foremother
  8. forefather
Noun
  • Although it was first made in 1957, Boursin cheese is an ingredient that your grandmother probably wouldn't recognize.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The child is not a resident of the neighborhood and was visiting his grandmother at the time of the incident.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of grandmother
Noun
  • The ancestors of tens of millions of Americans left miserable lives in Ireland for initially difficult ones here.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The flights will begin before Chuseok (October 15), also known as Korean Thanksgiving Day, which celebrates both the harvest and their ancestors.
    — Brandon Withrow, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • Eala’s grandfather, a tennis buff, introduced all his grandchildren to the sport at his local club.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The complainants said the abusive behavior began as soon as Farley, a 26-year veteran of the department whose father and grandfather were deputy chiefs, was appointed the top job.
    — David Matthews, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of grandfather
Noun
  • For decades, Posey has influenced how New Yorkers dress, but thanks to her scene-stealing turn as a Lorazepam-sipping matriarch on The White Lotus, she’s found herself squarely in the fashion zeitgeist once again.
    — Freya Drohan, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
  • In 2024, Kelly Bishop, who played the show’s matriarch Emily Gilmore, released her memoir The Third Gilmore Girl, which details her time on the series.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of matriarch
Noun
  • By 1900, tonkatsu pork cutlet (progenitor of the katsu sando) had been invented at a restaurant called Rengatei in the ultra-modern Ginza district, which also gave rise to omurice (a phonetic portmanteau of omelet and rice).
    — Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Ghetto house became the progenitor of Chicago’s thriving juke and footwork scenes, and artists including RP Boo and the United Kingdom’s Night Slugs collective have taken to social media to pay tribute to DJ Funk and his lasting impact on their work.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of progenitor
Noun
  • Curry & Paxton has kept the design philosophy from its forebears alive with a limited set of options in traditional colorways.
    — Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The man who is arguably the most famous or legendary keyboard sideman in rock talked with Variety about the circumstances of his new album, his current west coast tour (with more dates to be added further east) and his eternal eagerness to salute his forebears.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of forebear
Noun
  • Through our hair and its many rituals, remain the herbalism of our foremothers in the new world, passing down their ingenuity of homemade balms, creams, and oils for hair growth.
    — Eshe Ukweli, refinery29.com, 7 June 2023
  • In fact, precursors to modern bleaching processes didn’t come on the scene until the turn of the 20th century, leaving our foremothers and forefathers plenty of time to get creative with their blonde pursuits.
    — AJ Willingham, CNN, 28 May 2023
Definition of foremother
Noun
  • The British Last Week Tonight host, who previously served as a writer and correspondent on The Daily Show for seven years, returned during Monday's episode to jokingly celebrate the country becoming just like its forefather.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Rise up like the American forefathers did a few hundred years ago.
    — Joe Hudicka, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of forefather

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ancestral
ancestress
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Cite this Entry

“Ancestress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestress. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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