ancestress

[ an-ses-trisor, especially British, -suh-stris ]

noun

1. a woman from whom a person is descended.

Gender Note

What's the difference between ancestress and ancestor? See -ess.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancestress¹

First recorded in 1570–80; ancest(o)r + -ess

Example Sentences

I had an ancestress with a long gray tail and eyes as beady as mine, and her name was Katinka Van Tassel.

From Literature

Yang Asha is the mythical ancestress of the Miao people, an ethnic minority in China closely related to the Hmong of Southeast Asia.

From New York Times

Polyneices won her over to his side by bribing her with the wonderful necklace that had been the wedding gift of his ancestress Harmonia, and she made her husband go to the war.

From Literature

Enshrined at “Kashikodokoro” is the goddess Amaterasu, the mythological ancestress of Japan’s emperors.

From Washington Times

Enshrined at Kashikodokoro is the goddess Amaterasu, who is the mythological ancestress of Japan’s emperors.

From Washington Times