ancestry
noun
an·ces·try
ˈan-ˌse-strē 
Synonyms
Examples of ancestry in a Sentence
They claim to be of noble ancestry.
a person of unknown ancestry
She claims to be able to trace her ancestry all the way back to the earliest settlers.
Recent Examples on the Web
For Edward Wong, a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times, learning about his Chinese ancestry has particular resonance.
—
Terry W. Hartle, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Sep. 2024
Intriguing differences based on ancestry also emerged: Risks for African Americans with APOE4 are somewhat lower than for people with European ancestors, whereas in East Asians the risk is much higher, up to 25-fold for people with two copies, compared with those with two APOE3 genes.
—Byjocelyn Kaiser, science.org, 12 Sep. 2024
Michigan, which has the highest percentage of residents with Middle Eastern ancestry among all states, according to census data, is seen as a swing state, which Arab American activists are trying to capitalize on.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2024
Senna spent five years on a novel partly inspired by the actress Carol Channing, who revealed her Black ancestry late in life, but abandoned it to focus on screenwriting.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ancestry 
Terry W. Hartle, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Sep. 2024
Intriguing differences based on ancestry also emerged: Risks for African Americans with APOE4 are somewhat lower than for people with European ancestors, whereas in East Asians the risk is much higher, up to 25-fold for people with two copies, compared with those with two APOE3 genes.
—Byjocelyn Kaiser, science.org, 12 Sep. 2024
Michigan, which has the highest percentage of residents with Middle Eastern ancestry among all states, according to census data, is seen as a swing state, which Arab American activists are trying to capitalize on.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2024
Senna spent five years on a novel partly inspired by the actress Carol Channing, who revealed her Black ancestry late in life, but abandoned it to focus on screenwriting.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ancestry
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ancestry.' 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 ancestry
Cite this Entry
“Ancestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestry. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ancestry
noun
an·ces·try
ˈan-ˌses-trē
1
: line of descent
2
: one's ancestors
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