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progenitore

Progenitore is an Italian noun meaning a parent or an ancestor, and it can also denote the originator of a lineage or of an entity. In everyday Italian, genitore is the common term for a parent, while progenitore is more formal, literary, or technical, and is frequently used in genealogy, history, science, or philosophy to emphasize origin or ancestry. The feminine form is progenitrice.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin progenitor, from pro- “forth” + gignere “to beget.” It is cognate

Usage: In genealogical writing or mythological contexts, progenitori refers to ancestors or forefathers. In modern prose,

See also: genitore, antenato, progenie.

with
the
English
word
progenitor
and
entered
Italian
through
classical
and
later
usage.
the
term
may
appear
in
formal
discussions
of
lineage
or
descent.
In
biology
and
related
sciences,
the
concept
aligns
with
an
originator
of
a
lineage,
such
as
a
progenitor
cell;
in
Italian
the
standard
term
for
the
specific
biological
sense
is
cellula
progenitrice.