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

• birth
• blood
• bloodline
• breeding
• descent
• extraction
• family tree
• genealogy
• line
• lineage
• origin
• parentage
• pedigree
• stock
• strain

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

Krishnamoorthi would be the 10th Asian American in the Senate and only the second senator with South Asian ancestry. —Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 8 May 2025

Then — boom — Saturn enters Aries on May 24th, activating your sector of home, ancestry, and emotional foundation for the first time since 1999. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Apr. 2025

In response to that criticism, a 2024 GWAS looked at the genetics of people of African, East Asian, South Asian, and Hispanic/Latin American ancestry. —Michael MacIntyre, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2025

It's rooted in their ancestry and is beneficial for jaw exercise, dental health, and mental stimulation. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 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