progenitor
UK: /prəʊˈdʒen.ɪ.tər/ | US: /proʊˈdʒen.ə.t̬ɚ/
n. a direct ancestor or originator of something
n. (biology) an ancestral organism or cell type
The word "progenitor" traces back to Latin prōgenitor, combining prō- (forward/before) and genitor (begetter, from gignere, "to beget"). The root gen- appears in many English words related to birth or creation (e.g., "generate," "genesis"). The suffix -itor signifies an agent, akin to "-er" in English. Thus, a progenitor is literally "one who comes before in lineage" or "an originator."
Charles Darwin is often regarded as the progenitor of evolutionary theory.
The ancient fish is considered a progenitor of modern vertebrates.
Her ideas became the progenitor of a new scientific movement.
In mythology, Gaia was the progenitor of all life.
The startup’s technology served as the progenitor for later innovations.