2. (Science: biology) An earlier type; a progenitor; as, this fossilanimal is regarded as the ancestor of the horse.
3. One from whom an estate has descended; the correlative of heir.
Origin: oe. Ancestre, auncestre, also ancessour; the first formsfr. OF. Ancestre, f. Ancetre, fr. The L. Nom. Antessor one who goes before; the last formfr. OF. Ancessor, fr. L. Acc. Antecessorem, fr. Antecedere to go before; ante before _ cedere to go. See Cede, and cf. Antecessor.
Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent).
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