ancestor

ancêtre

Membre de votre famille ayant vécu avant vous, comme un grand-parent ou un arrière-grand-parent.

En anglais simple : A person in your family who lived before you, such as a grandparent or great-grandparent.

• My ancestors lived in Italy.
• She found her ancestor’s name in an old record.
• Do you know where your ancestors came from?

Comment l'utiliser : ancestor of someone (He was an ancestor of the current owner.)

Synonymes : forebear, forefather

Contraires : descendant

Expressions courantes : distant ancestor, common ancestor, ancestor of someone

ancêtre

Être vivant ou espèce ancienne dont une espèce plus récente est issue par évolution.

En anglais simple : An earlier living thing or species from which a later species developed.

• These species share a common ancestor.
• Scientists studied the ancestor of modern whales.
• The fossils may belong to an early ancestor of birds.

Comment l'utiliser : ancestor of something (This creature was an ancestor of modern horses.)

Contraires : descendant

Expressions courantes : common ancestor, extinct ancestor, ancestor of something

ancêtre, précurseur

Forme ancienne d’une chose dont une forme plus récente est issue.

En anglais simple : An earlier form of something from which a later form developed.

• This machine is an ancestor of the computer.
• The design has several earlier ancestors.
• That simple cart was the ancestor of today’s delivery van.

Comment l'utiliser : ancestor of something (The device was an ancestor of the modern camera.)

Synonymes : predecessor, forerunner

Expressions courantes : early ancestor, direct ancestor, ancestor of something