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
Before Martin started giving talks on her family history, her mother Clarice Boswell did the same for nearly 16 years.
—
Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Doctors advise men of color and men who have a family history of prostate cancer, the two populations most at risk of diagnosis, to be screened annually, earlier than the average of 50, between the ages of 40 and 45.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Hasselbeck, who has a family history of cardiovascular disease, urges families and fans to get screened.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
For those with a family history of colon cancer, doctors say people should start screening at either age 40 or 10 years before the age a family member was diagnosed, whichever comes first.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for family history
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Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Doctors advise men of color and men who have a family history of prostate cancer, the two populations most at risk of diagnosis, to be screened annually, earlier than the average of 50, between the ages of 40 and 45.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Hasselbeck, who has a family history of cardiovascular disease, urges families and fans to get screened.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
For those with a family history of colon cancer, doctors say people should start screening at either age 40 or 10 years before the age a family member was diagnosed, whichever comes first.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for family history
Cite this Entry
“Family history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family%20history. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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