ancestral
adjective
an·ces·tral
an-ˈse-strəl 
: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor
ancestral estates
Examples of ancestral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The anthology’s first volume explores themes of ancestral sin, family, piety and consequence.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
Present-day Michigan is the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, Anishinaabe peoples forming the historic Council of Three Fires alliance, with the Indigenous presence pre-dating European settlements by more than 10,000 years.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Other communities are adopting ancestral ways of eating.
—Chrystle Fiedler, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
The tests revealed the woman had ancestral roots in Michoacán, Mexico, and a possible relative in the San Diego area.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestral
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.
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
Present-day Michigan is the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, Anishinaabe peoples forming the historic Council of Three Fires alliance, with the Indigenous presence pre-dating European settlements by more than 10,000 years.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Other communities are adopting ancestral ways of eating.
—Chrystle Fiedler, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
The tests revealed the woman had ancestral roots in Michoacán, Mexico, and a possible relative in the San Diego area.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestral
Cite this Entry
“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestral. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ancestral
adjective
an·ces·tral
an-ˈses-trəl
: of, relating to, or developed from an ancestor
ancestral home
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share