progenitor
noun /prəʊˈdʒenɪtə(r)/
/prəʊˈdʒenɪtər/
(formal)- a person or thing from the past that a person, animal or plant that is alive now is related to synonym ancestor
- He was the progenitor of a family of distinguished actors.
- a person who starts an idea or a development
- the progenitors of modern art
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French progeniteur, from Latin progenitor, from progenit- ‘begotten’, from the verb progignere, from pro- ‘forward’ + gignere ‘beget’.