Where does “progenitor” come from?
Progenitor derives from Middle French progeniteur, from Latin progenitor meaning "ancestor," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- meaning "to be" or "become."
progenitor (English): A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors;...
Definitions
- A forefather, any of a person's direct ancestors;...
Ancestry of “progenitor”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | progeniteur | progenitor |
| 2 | Latin | progenitor | ancestor, progenitor |
| 3 | Latin | progenitus | — |
| 4 | Latin | progigno | I beget; I produce |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |