ancestry
noun
an·ces·try
ˈan-ˌse-strē 
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
The box covers the most popular classes and ancestries such as humans, elves, dwarves and halflings.
—
Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Unsurprisingly, local Oktoberfest celebrations take place in every state, since German heritage is the largest ancestry group in the country, representing around 41 million people and roughly 12% of the population.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
Safe Black SpaceSafe Black Space is the umbrella under which various services are offered to address people of African ancestry’s individual and community reactions to cultural and racial trauma.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Sep. 2025
According to the San Diego Zoo, most pygmy hippos living in American zoos have ancestry that ties back to Billy, a pygmy given to President Calvin Coolidge in 1927 from American tire mogul Harvey Firestone, who owned a rubber plantation in Liberia.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestry
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Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Unsurprisingly, local Oktoberfest celebrations take place in every state, since German heritage is the largest ancestry group in the country, representing around 41 million people and roughly 12% of the population.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
Safe Black SpaceSafe Black Space is the umbrella under which various services are offered to address people of African ancestry’s individual and community reactions to cultural and racial trauma.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Sep. 2025
According to the San Diego Zoo, most pygmy hippos living in American zoos have ancestry that ties back to Billy, a pygmy given to President Calvin Coolidge in 1927 from American tire mogul Harvey Firestone, who owned a rubber plantation in Liberia.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestry
Cite this Entry
“Ancestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestry. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ancestry
noun
an·ces·try
ˈan-ˌses-trē
1
: line of descent
2
: one's ancestors
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