progenitrix
|pro-gen-i-trix|
/prəˈdʒɛnɪtrɪks/
female originator / ancestress
Etymology
'progenitrix' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'progenitrix', where the prefix 'pro-' meant 'forth' (or 'forward'), the root from Latin 'gignere'/'gen-' meant 'to beget' or 'to produce', and the suffix '-trix' marked a feminine agent.
'progenitrix' came into English from Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'progenitrix' (the feminine agent form related to 'progenitor'), passing into learned and ecclesiastical usage and retaining its Latin form into modern English.
Initially, it meant 'a female begetter or originator' in the literal biological sense; over time it has come to be used chiefly in formal, literary, or figurative senses to mean 'female ancestor' or 'female founder'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a female progenitor or ancestress; a woman regarded as the originator of a family, line, or group.
She was hailed as the progenitrix of the royal line.
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Noun 2
a female originator in a figurative or institutional sense — for example, a woman who founds or initiates a movement, practice, or dynasty.
She is often regarded as the progenitrix of modern social reform in the region.
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Last updated: 2025/08/23 06:53