WordPress function to print a back button to the first term ancestor

wp_term_back_to_parent.php

/**
 * Print a back button to the first term ancestor
 */
function wp_term_back_to_parent($id = null, $args = array()) {

    if( !$id ) {
        $id = get_query_var('cat');
    }

    // get term ancestors
    $ancestors = get_ancestors( $id, 'category' );

    $direct_parent = $ancestors ? $ancestors[0] : false;

    if( $direct_parent ) {

        $elem_id = isset($args['id']) ? ('id="' . $args['id'] . '"') : '';

        $title = __('Back to') . ' ' . get_cat_name($direct_parent);

        printf(
            '<span %s><a href="%s" rel="prev" title="%s" >%s</a></span>',
            $elem_id,
            get_category_link($direct_parent),
            $title,
            $title
        );

    }

}