ancestry

noun

an·​ces·​try ˈan-ˌse-strē 

1

: line of descent : lineage

especially : honorable, noble, or aristocratic descent

2

: persons initiating or comprising a line of descent : ancestors

Synonyms of ancestry

• lineage
• genealogy
• origin
• pedigree
• descent
• family
• breeding

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

Without a mentor to guide him, Aang spends his spare time hunting for Air Nomad relics in an attempt to connect with his ancestry. — Alison Herman, Variety, 24 July 2026

Why, then, would birthright citizenship be singled out and disputed because of one’s Chinese ancestry? — Claire Ke, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026

Mixed-ancestry people (called Métis in Canada) who were not bound to reservations, in particular, roamed far and wide collecting bones and came to dominate the trade. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 July 2026

The nomadic ancestry of the Plains Tribes carries on today through powwows. — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ancestry

noun

an·​ces·​try ˈan-ˌses-trē 

1

: line of descent

2

: one's ancestors