1. ancestors; people from whom one is descended
Usage: plural form

Examples

• She traced her forebears back to Ireland in the 1800s.
• His forebears were among the first settlers in the region.
• The family kept detailed records of their forebears for generations.
• Many of our forebears faced hardships we can barely imagine.
• The museum displays artifacts from the town’s earliest forebears.
• Learning about one’s forebears can provide insight into family traditions.