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
Diagnosis of the condition typically begins with a dermatologist reviewing when symptoms started, possible triggers and establishing a family history of allergies or eczema.
—
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
Knowing your family history for at least three generations helps identify colon cancer risk.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 Oct. 2025
So that may be looking at their family history of mental illness and look at which conditions run in families.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Even those who don’t have a family history of breast cancer specifically could benefit.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for family history
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
Knowing your family history for at least three generations helps identify colon cancer risk.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 Oct. 2025
So that may be looking at their family history of mental illness and look at which conditions run in families.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Even those who don’t have a family history of breast cancer specifically could benefit.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
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 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share