as in lineages
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a Cambodian immigrant who can trace her Khmer ancestry as far back as the 16th century
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Recent Examples of ancestries
But many Chicanos trace their lineage to indigenous peoples who survived Spanish colonization, often carrying mixed indigenous, Spanish, and other ancestries, a testament to survival and cultural fusion.
—
David Alvarado, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
This lack of representation is problematic for people of different ancestries because genetic risk factors differ across populations.
—Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
The box covers the most popular classes and ancestries such as humans, elves, dwarves and halflings.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
David Alvarado, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
This lack of representation is problematic for people of different ancestries because genetic risk factors differ across populations.
—Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
The box covers the most popular classes and ancestries such as humans, elves, dwarves and halflings.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestries
Noun
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Comparative studies show that an appendix-like structure evolved independently in at least three distinct lineages of mammals – marsupials, primates and glires, a group that includes rodents and rabbits.—
Lilia Goncharova,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
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But a new investigation of Asgard genomes has revealed previously unknown lineages of the microbes in shallow coastal sediments, some of which appear tolerant of and use oxygen, according to a study published February 18 in the journal Nature.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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All three are Nordic countries with populations above 5 million and strong winter sport pedigrees — Norway most of all.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Jeremy and Cindy Bearman, a husband-wife duo with pedigrees from New York City’s ABC Kitchen and db Bistro Moderne, have created a seasonal menu that is technique-forward and expressive.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The seal texts often introduced the owners with their names, genealogies, gender, professions and hometowns.—
Serdar Yalçin,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
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Transcripts, grammars, vocabularies, dictionaries, glyph studies, botanical studies, commentaries, articles, editions of codices, correspondence, maps, charts, drawings, photographs, Maya Society materials, genealogies of Maya families, and Mayan glyphs on moveable type.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But the origins of vasectomies becoming linked to March Madness appear to trace back to a marketing campaign by an Oregon urology clinic, which took out a radio advertisement in the late 2000s.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
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Many current biofuel mandates trace their origins to the 1970s energy shock, while the US Energy Independence and Security Act followed a 2007-08 price spike, said Dr Timothy Deehan, a senior oil analyst at LSEG.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestries. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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