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Ancestor vs Birth - What's the difference?

ancestor | birth |

In figuratively|lang=en terms the difference between ancestor and birth

is that ancestor is (figuratively) one who had the same role or function in former times while birth is (figuratively) to produce, give rise to.

As nouns the difference between ancestor and birth

is that ancestor is one from whom a person is descended, whether on the father's or mother's side, at any distance of time; a progenitor; a forefather while birth is (uncountable) the process of childbearing; the beginning of life.

As an adjective birth is

a familial relationship established by childbirth.

As a verb birth is

(dated|or|regional) to bear or give birth to (a child).

ancestor

English

Alternative forms

* ancestour (obsolete) * auncestor (obsolete) * auncestour (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • One from whom a person is descended, whether on the father's or mother's side, at any distance of time; a progenitor; a forefather.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Old soldiers? , passage=Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless.}}
  • An earlier type; a progenitor
  • (legal) One from whom an estate has descended;—the correlative of heir.
  • (figuratively) One who had the same role or function in former times.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 1, author=Saj Chowdhury, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Wolverhampton 1-2 Newcastle , passage=The Magpies are unbeaten and enjoying their best run since 1994, although few would have thought the class of 2011 would come close to emulating their ancestors .}}

    Usage notes

    * There is a rare feminine form ancestress

    Derived terms

    * cenancestor

    Antonyms

    * descendant

    Anagrams

    *

    birth

    English

    Noun

  • (uncountable) The process of childbearing; the beginning of life.
  • (countable) An instance of childbirth.
  • Intersex babies account for roughly one per cent of all births .
  • (countable) A beginning or start; a point of origin.
  • the birth of an empire
  • (uncountable) The circumstances of one's background, ancestry, or upbringing.
  • He was of noble birth , but fortune had not favored him.
  • * Prescott
  • elected without reference to birth , but solely for qualifications
  • That which is born.
  • * Ben Jonson
  • Poets are far rarer births than kings.
  • * Addison
  • Others hatch their eggs and tend the birth till it is able to shift for itself.
  • Antonyms

    * (beginning of life) death

    References

    Adjective

    (-)
  • A familial relationship established by childbirth.
  • Her birth father left when she was a baby; she was raised by her mother and stepfather.

    Synonyms

    * biological, blood, consanguineous

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dated, or, regional) To bear or give birth to (a child).
  • * 1939 ,
  • "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"
  • (figuratively) To produce, give rise to.
  • * 2006 , R. Bruce Hull, Infinite Nature , University of Chicago Press, ISBN 9780226359441, page 156:
  • Biological evolution created a human mind that enabled cultural evolution, which now outpaces and outclasses the force that birthed it.

    Usage notes

    * The term is much more common, especially in literal use.

    Derived terms

    * accident of birth * birth control * birthdate * birthday * birthing * birth mother * birth pangs * birth parent * birth pill * birthplace * birthrate * birthright * birthstone * birth tourism * breech birth * give birth * noble birth * virgin birth 1000 English basic words ----