1. (n.) One from whom a person is descended, whether on the father's or mother's side, at any distance of time; a progenitor; a fore father.

2. (n.) An earlier type; a progenitor; as, this fossil animal is regarded as the ancestor of the horse.

3. (n.) One from whom an estate has descended; -- the correlative of heir.

ancestress announcer antecedent ascendant avant-garde begetter bellwether buccinator bushwhacker explorer forebear forefather foregoer forerunner front runner frontiersman fugleman grandparent groundbreaker guide harbinger herald innovator lead runner leader messenger parent pathfinder pioneer point precedent precursor predecessor premise primogenitor procreator progenitor progenitress progenitrix prototype scout stormy petrel trailblazer trailbreaker vanguard vaunt-courier voortrekker