ancestral

adjective

an·​ces·​tral an-ˈse-strəl How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor
ancestral estates
ancestrally adverb

Examples of ancestral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, being unemployed stripped away my defenses and revealed a deep need for ancestral guidance in a season when my world felt unstable. Essence, 10 Oct. 2025 Each of the art centers will showcase must-see exhibits that explore railroad building, ancestral ceramic making techniques, heritage and how Latinx communities relate to home and nature. Miguel Figueroa, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 Arsenal loved their elegant Art Deco ancestral home at Highbury. Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Fiction features include Meyar Roumi’s 2023 feature The Return, about a Syrian historian living in exile in Marseilles, who travels to Damascus to retrieve the remains of his younger brother, who was shot as freedom fighter, and move them to the north in accordance with ancestral traditions. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ancestral

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ancestral was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestral. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ancestral

adjective
an·​ces·​tral an-ˈses-trəl How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
: of, relating to, or developed from an ancestor
ancestral home
ancestrally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on ancestral

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