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 Other heart conditions, like familial hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) and high lipoprotein (a) (proteins and fats that carry cholesterol), can be inherited, and a family history of heart disease that isn’t genetic puts you at higher risk, too. Sarah Klein, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024 This also goes for people with a family history of heart disease, particularly in a first-degree relative, and those who already have one risk factor, such as high cholesterol. Lauryn Higgins, Health, 27 Mar. 2024 For Hunter, the seed for the book was planted with a high school English assignment about family history. Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024 Genetics and family history can also be useful, as more treatments and screens are now tied to specific patterns of genetics, Gardner said. Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024 The tool typically involves several questions about the person’s medical history, reproductive history and family history. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Because of the family history — including her late grandmother’s battle with breast cancer — the CNN correspondent was often encouraged by her doctors to get genetic testing. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024 The struggle for the new casino is more trouble than Ryan could have imagined, bringing up old mob ties, unknown family history, backstabbings, battles of ego, and plenty of misunderstandings from the rumor mill among Vegas’s major players. Theo Faherty, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024 The right age for claiming Social Security benefits will depend on your health, family history, marital status and financial circumstances. Kate Ashford Of Nerdwallet, Quartz, 1 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'family history.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near family history

Cite this Entry

“Family history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family%20history. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

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