ancestral

adjective

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

Examples of ancestral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a right to establish a Jewish nation-state in their ancestral homeland in the Middle East. ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026 Sakiyama went on to tie that ancestral trauma to the severe and often violent local immigration clampdown, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026 DiBattista got the call to make the Winter Olympics jackets for the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, then for the 2022 Games in Beijing and now, in a full-circle moment for his family, for the 2026 Games in their ancestral homeland. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 Feb. 2026 Small but mighty Eha, on Estonia’s Hiiumaa island, part of a Unesco biosphere, has at its heart dawn mist walks, wild herb foraging, and Baltic ancestral healing. Jane Alexander, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2026 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 1 Mar. 2026.

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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