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.
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, 10 Nov. 2025 Like, ancestral beliefs about abundance deep. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025 Juma was the only fluent speaker of his people’s language and held the tribe’s ancestral memory in his head. Adriana Brasileiro, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025 As the eldest son of Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, Edoardo will eventually inherit his family's ancestral seat, the 18th-century Villa Mapelli Mozzi palace in northern Italy. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 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 Nov. 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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