Словарь синонимов английского языка - progenitor

(n) 1. progenitrix, ancestor, forefather, forebear: They regarded the snake god as the progenitor of the human race. 2. predecessor, forerunner, precursor, antecedent, foregoer, source, originator; origin, original, prototype, archetype, pattern, guide: The ancient philosophers were progenitors of many modern ideas. Some regabd da Vinci's designs as the progenitors of some of today's machines.