ancestry

noun

an·​ces·​try ˈan-ˌse-strē How to pronounce ancestry (audio)
1
: line of descent : lineage
especially : honorable, noble, or aristocratic descent
2
: persons initiating or comprising a line of descent : ancestors

Examples of ancestry in a Sentence

They claim to be of noble ancestry. a person of unknown ancestry She claims to be able to trace her ancestry all the way back to the earliest settlers.
Recent Examples on the Web Race became nothing more than ancestry and a collection of superficial physical traits. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Some don’t even need tribal ancestry for enrollment. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Woods' mother once referred to her ancestry as Thai, Chinese and Dutch. Jonathan Landrum Jr., Quartz, 13 Feb. 2024 Saban and Belichick had coached together in Cleveland and bonded over their Croatian ancestry, which Carroll shares on his mother’s side. David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024 Every descendant of slaves can establish ancestry with DNA testing and be eligible for monetary reparation. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 In addition to shedding new light on Dawley’s story, Opala joined other scholars in tracing the ancestry of a 10-year-old African girl named Priscilla, kidnapped in 1756 from Sierra Leone, to a 21st-century woman living in South Carolina. Joshua Kagavi, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The ancestries of some people on the list were ultimately verified and marked accordingly. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Even though 90% of the people in Taiwan have Chinese ancestry, Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation authors Clarissa Wei and Ivy Chen believe its residents have forged a cuisine that's all their own. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ancestry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ancestry was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ancestry

Cite this Entry

“Ancestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestry. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ancestry

noun
an·​ces·​try ˈan-ˌses-trē How to pronounce ancestry (audio)
1
: line of descent
2
: one's ancestors

More from Merriam-Webster on ancestry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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