aïeul
forefather, ancestor
noun ah-YUHL Rare
Origin: Latin avus (grandfather)
Also means
grandfather (literary)
Usage Note
Aïeul has two distinct plurals that learners must know: aïeuls means grandparents specifically, while aïeux (the more common literary plural) means ancestors or forebears in general. The feminine singular is aïeule. It is more formal and literary than ancêtre; you encounter it often in historical or genealogical texts.
Examples
"Nos aïeux ont bâti ce village de leurs mains."
Natural Translation
Our forebears built this village with their own hands.
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