forefather

[ fawr-fah-ther, fohr- ]

noun

1. an ancestor.

   Synonyms: forerunner, patriarch, progenitor, forebear

forefather

/ ˈfɔːˌfɑːðə /

noun

1. an ancestor, esp a male

Derived Forms

• ˈforeˌfatherly, adjective

Other Words From

• forefather·ly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of forefather¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, forefather is from the Middle English word forefader. See fore-, father

Example Sentences

He fears having to sell off parts of his family's 700-acre hill farm near Bridgend to afford a future tax bill, saying his forefathers would be "turning in their graves".

From BBC

His ability to take bold, audacious business risks informed a high-profile acquisition strategy that kept the salt-to-steel conglomerate founded 155 years ago by his forefathers relevant after India liberalised its economy in the 1990s.

From BBC

The new version of “Criminal Minds,” fittingly subtitled “Evolution,” which recently completed its second season on Paramount+, follows its CBS forefather in being a show about criminal profilers.

From Los Angeles Times

Ahmad was ahead of us on his donkey, leading the flock towards the grazing land, as his forefathers had done for generations.

From BBC

Our forefathers, flawed as they were, tried to build a “more perfect union.”

From Salon