progenitor
Definitions
A person or thing from which a person, animal, or plant is descended or originates; an ancestor or parent.
A person or thing that originates an artistic, political, or intellectual movement.
Examples
The steam engine is considered the progenitor of the modern industrial age.
He is the progenitor of a long line of distinguished scientists and scholars.
The ancient manuscript is believed to be the progenitor of all later versions of the text.
Synonyms
ancestor forefather originator predecessor founder parent begetter