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

• 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

American Bullies share common ancestry with pit bulls but are generally more laid back in temperament. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2025

This most recent edition provides players with several classes and ancestries built to allow for maximum control of character customization. —Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Robert is a marquis, inheritor of an ancient title of nobility, who nonetheless has German Jewish ancestry, something that attracts the attention of other characters. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 July 2025

Most of the research so far has been done almost exclusively on people with Western European ancestry, so there’s little guarantee that the predictions extrapolate to people with family trees that trace to different parts of the globe. —Arthur Caplan & James Tabery, Scientific American, 28 July 2025

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