ancestral

adjective

an·​ces·​tral an-ˈse-strəl 

: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor

ancestral estates

ancestrally

an-ˈse-strə-lē 

adverb

Examples of ancestral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When speaking with locals after a session at a monastery, he was struck by their ability to maintain internal equilibrium through ancestral customs even while their surrounding infrastructure collapsed. — Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

Each is a spectacular blend of Spanish, African, and Indigenous ingredients and techniques—garlic, onion, peppers, and herbs pounded in a wooden mortar and pestle with Taíno roots called a pilón, binding the island’s ancestral and colonial cultures. — Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2026

Much of it is spoken in the Iku language, offering a remarkable immersion into the community’s ancestral worldview. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 9 Nov. 2026

The South Texas borderland region, my ancestral home, played a key role in upending the political reality of the state. — Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ancestral

• ancestral Pueblo
• ancestral Puebloan

Rhymes for ancestral

• orchestral
• kestrel

Kids Definition

ancestral

adjective

an·​ces·​tral an-ˈses-trəl 

: of, relating to, or developed from an ancestor

ancestral home

ancestrally

-trə-lē 

adverb