as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
the family held a huge reunion to mark the 200th anniversary of their primogenitors' arrival in America
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primogenitor
Noun
-
Regardless of whether plans are rejigged, there will be plenty of pomp and circumstance for Charles, 77, as befitting a state visit of a British king to a country that his ancestors once ruled.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026 -
By shedding heavy shells like those seen in early nautiloids and ammonites, the ancestors of modern octopuses traded passive defense for active offense.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The two had been arguing just a few hours earlier over Sweeney’s reluctance to do chores around the house, his grandfather told police.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The driver who fatally struck a grandfather in Midtown in 2024 was sentenced with 180 days of work release and 30 days of community service last week — a typically light sentence in California, where many vehicular manslaughter cases are charged as misdemeanors.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As the Ado Annie-like Betsy, a horny teen-ager whose father owns a shotgun, Kurtz is playing a character who should be, and kind of is, a one-joke punch line.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Wilson’s father, Bruce, and Sweeney’s mother, Kelly, are Gayle Wilson’s stepchildren, according to TMZ.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps an early progenitor of slow cinema, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly remains one of the finest examples of the Western genre and one of Eastwood’s very best performances.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
-
From this progenitor, countless fragments of different sizes have been circling the sun in similar orbits.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Primogenitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primogenitor. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
