/ prəʊˈdʒenɪtə(r); NAmE proʊ-/ noun ( formal )
1.
a person or thing from the past that a person, animal or plant that is alive now is related to
SYN ancestor :
He was the progenitor of a family of distinguished actors.
2.
a person who starts an idea or a development :
the progenitors of modern art
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French progeniteur , from Latin progenitor , from progenit- begotten, from the verb progignere , from pro- forward + gignere beget.