ancestor; forebear
Refers to one's forebears, either direct family lineage or earlier generations of a people. Can be used in both biological and cultural contexts.
My ancestors migrated from Kyushu.
この祭りは祖先を敬うために行われる。
This festival is held to honor the ancestors.
This household has a Buddhist altar for venerating their ancestors.
He made a family tree to trace his ancestry.
This land is something inherited from our ancestors.
It is said that humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor.
ancestor worship
plesiomorphy; ancestral character