" progenitor "

[Noun]  | "pro*gen*i*tor" | \ prō-ˈje-nə-tər \

1: an ancestor in the direct line : forefather

2: a biologically ancestral form

3: precursor, originator

Origin: 14th century ;

 Middle English progenitour, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin prōgenitor "individual from whom a person or family is descended, ancestor," agentive derivative of prōgignere "to produce as offspring, bring into being, give rise to" (from prō- {see: |pro-:2|pro-:2} + gignere "to bring into being, beget, give birth to"), after genitor "father, parent, originator," going back to Indo-European *ǵenh1- "engender, beget" + *-tor/*-tōr, agent suffix, from which also Greek genétōr "father, begetter, ancestor," Sanskrit janitar-, janitá "father, progenitor" {mat|kin:1|};

  * Note : Alternatively genitor has been explained as a new formation based on genitus, past participle of gignere. The older and still somewhat more attractive view see:s genitus as the new formation, based on the perfect genuī or on genitor itself, after the connection with the original verbal adjective ()nātus (going back to zero-grade *ǵn̥h1-to-) became weakened.;

[Noun]  | "progenitor"