as in lineage
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ancestry
In his narrative, Montour was a woman of French ancestry who was born in the 1680s in Canada.
—
Katrina Gulliver, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2025
According to the National Park Service, 40% of us trace our ancestry through Ellis Island, the East Coast immigration station that operated between 1892 and 1954.
—Nick Gillespie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
Eight decades ago, federal lawyers wrestled with this same dilemma as the government imprisoned more than 100,000 innocent Japanese Americans from the West Coast on account of their ancestry.
—Eric Muller, The Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2025
The Lumbee Tribe, which traces its ancestry back hundreds of years to survivors of other tribal nations, is recognized as Native American by the state of North Carolina but has been denied recognition by the federal government.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ancestry 
Katrina Gulliver, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2025
According to the National Park Service, 40% of us trace our ancestry through Ellis Island, the East Coast immigration station that operated between 1892 and 1954.
—Nick Gillespie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
Eight decades ago, federal lawyers wrestled with this same dilemma as the government imprisoned more than 100,000 innocent Japanese Americans from the West Coast on account of their ancestry.
—Eric Muller, The Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2025
The Lumbee Tribe, which traces its ancestry back hundreds of years to survivors of other tribal nations, is recognized as Native American by the state of North Carolina but has been denied recognition by the federal government.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ancestry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestry
Noun
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The lineage of conservative responses has been largely an assertion of business power.—
Colin Gordon,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2025
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Displays trace the lineage of families who settled in the area, and one exhibit showcases a Native American dugout canoe.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Using advancements in technology and forensic genealogy and a DNA analysis lab in Richmond, the investigators were able to identify a next of kin, the sheriff’s office said.—
Rick Hurd,
The Mercury News,
13 Feb. 2025
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Forensic genetic genealogy is used to try to find a DNA match to a person's relatives, rather than finding a direct match to the person.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The team of researchers said the new interpretation of humanity’s origin increases the probability of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
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The War and Treaty’s Michael Trotter Jr. knows just how intertwined his musical origin story is with his time in the U.S. Army.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Not only from a profile and pedigree perspective, but in terms of adding further burdens to a wage bill that was already teetering on the edge.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
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His scoring, creativity, and championship pedigree are part of why Dallas remains in the mix despite Dončić’s injuries.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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He’s started the descent and there is no going back.—
Matt Slater,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
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Sweden is capable of disrupting that scenario, but Canada-U.S. is what everyone not of Swedish or Finnish descent wants.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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That is where an intercultural specialist can step in to not only work with students and teachers, but families as well.—
Graham P. Johnson,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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Newsweek reached out to Jump Management, the family and business office of Michael Jordan, for comment on the incident.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The breeding program was successful and ferrets have been reintroduced in more than a half-dozen states.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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That all changed, due to Steele and other pioneers in the 1920s and 1930s, but also sophisticated breeding techniques in the decades that followed, which transformed the chicken from a small egg-layer into a giant, meat-producing machine.—
Kenny Torrella,
Vox,
9 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ancestry
Cite this Entry
“Ancestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestry. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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