ancestro

ancestor

noun ahn-SEHS-troh Rare

Origin: From Latin antecessor (predecessor), via Old French ancestre.

Also means

forefather

Usage Note

Ancestro refers to a remote forebear in one's lineage, and is more formal or literary than the everyday antepasado. The plural ancestros is common when speaking of a lineage collectively. In biology, ancestro común ('common ancestor') is standard scientific usage.

Examples

"Sus ancestros llegaron de África."

Natural Translation

His ancestors came from Africa.

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