ancestral
adjective
an·ces·tral
an-ˈse-strəl 
: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor
ancestral estates
Examples of ancestral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the boldest assertions of Darwin’s theory was that the fossil record should contain transitional forms—organisms exhibiting traits of both ancestral and derived species.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Nearly 60% of ancestral remains reported as falling under NAGPRA over the years have now been repatriated, but that still leaves at least 90,000 that must be returned to tribes.
—Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2025
Growing food has ancestral significance for Guzman, whose grandfather traveled from Mexico to California every year as part of the Bracero farmworker program to earn money for food.
—Yvonne Condes, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
The year 2024 marked the beginning of my ancestral renaissance.
—Stephanie Long, Essence, 15 Feb. 2025
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Scott Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Nearly 60% of ancestral remains reported as falling under NAGPRA over the years have now been repatriated, but that still leaves at least 90,000 that must be returned to tribes.
—Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2025
Growing food has ancestral significance for Guzman, whose grandfather traveled from Mexico to California every year as part of the Bracero farmworker program to earn money for food.
—Yvonne Condes, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
The year 2024 marked the beginning of my ancestral renaissance.
—Stephanie Long, Essence, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestral
Cite this Entry
“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestral. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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ancestral
adjective
an·ces·tral
an-ˈses-trəl
: of, relating to, or developed from an ancestor
ancestral home
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