ancestry

[ an-ses-treeor, especially British, -suh-stree ]

noun

, plural an·ces·tries.

1. family or ancestral descent; lineage.

   Synonyms: stock, genealogy, pedigree

2. honorable or distinguished descent:

   famous by title and ancestry.

3. a series of ancestors:

   His ancestry settled Utah.

   Synonyms: line, family

4. the inception or origin of a phenomenon, object, idea, or style.
5. the history or developmental process of a phenomenon, object, idea, or style.

ancestry

/ ˈænsɛstrɪ /

noun

1. lineage or descent, esp when ancient, noble, or distinguished
2. ancestors collectively

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancestry¹

1300–50; Middle English, equivalent to ancestre ancestor + -y ³; replacing Middle English aunce ( s ) trie < Anglo-French

Example Sentences

It offers genetic testing from DNA, with ancestry breakdown and personalised health insights.

From BBC

According to Mr Lawson, all four lines of Mary Anne MacLeod's maternal ancestry had been moved to Stornoway parish from elsewhere on the island as a result of the Clearances.

From BBC

As President Joe Biden stepped aside for Vice President Kamala Harris atop the Democratic ticket, Trump pivoted his rhetoric from attacking Biden's age and capabilities to complaining about Harris' mixed-race ancestry.

From Salon

But, from those heady days of millions of people rushing to send it saliva samples in return for detailed reports about their ancestry, family connections and genetic make-up, it now finds itself fighting for its survival.

From BBC

But that hasn’t stopped the speculation, with rival firm Ancestry calling for US competition regulators to get involved if 23andMe does end up for sale.

From BBC

Related Words

• ancestor
• antecedent
• descent
• extraction
• forebear
• genealogy
• heritage
• lineage
• origin
• parentage