family history

noun

1
: past occurrences (of a medical or mental health condition) in family members or past incidences (of a type of behavior) by family members
They have a family history of heart disease.
a family history of violence
2
: a record of one's ancestors
He can trace his family history all the way back to the Pilgrims.

Examples of family history in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Women who are at higher risk with a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors should discuss timing of screening with their health care provider. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025 The disease is linked to family history, age, obesity and unhealthy lifestyle factors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025 In addition to the competition, Pinabell saw Mississippi as a spot where the standout could thrive, given his family history. Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 29 Sep. 2025 That family history was both the right fuel for Piccard and something to live up to, a fact that filmmaker Dower lovingly interprets through a stunning wealth of archival footage and first-person interviews within his film’s compact running time. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for family history

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Cite this Entry

“Family history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family%20history. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

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