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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According to study co-author and University of Copenhagen archaeologist Hannes Schroeder, the violence may also have explicitly targeted women in children as a way to sever family lineages and weaken rival communities.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
25 Feb. 2026
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The discovery could help reintroduction efforts as scientists now know which cheetah lineages once lived in the peninsula and have evidence of their success in the area.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 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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Gomis, who has Bissau-Guinean and Senegalese origins, wrote and directed the film which stars a mix of actors and newcomers, leading with Katy Correa and D’Johé Kouadio as a mother-and-daughter duo.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
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While the origins are still debated, the festival shows the goat’s long association with Ireland’s landscapes and community life.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestries. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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