" church father "

1: a male human parent;

  * e.g., " ... the special relationship that exists between fathers and sons "

•  Synonyms : 

•  dad,

•  daddy,

•  old man,

•  pa,

•  papa,

•  pater,

•  pop,

•  sire

•  Antonyms : 

•  descendant

2: a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor;

  * e.g., " ... Sir Isaac Newton is regarded by many as the father of modern science "

•  Synonyms : 

•  author,

•  begetter,

•  creator,

•  establisher,

•  founder,

•  founding father,

•  generator,

•  inaugurator,

•  initiator,

•  instituter,

•  originator,

•  sire

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent;

  * e.g., " ... our fathers founded this nation on the fundamental belief that no person is entitled to rule by divine right "

•  Synonyms : 

•  ancestor,

•  forebear,

•  forebearer,

•  forefather,

•  grandfather,

•  primogenitor,

•  progenitor

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)