ancestral

adjective

an·​ces·​tral an-ˈse-strəl How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor
ancestral estates
ancestrally adverb

Examples of ancestral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Head to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum to learn more about the area’s human history, from ancestral Indigenous residents to Lewis and Clark’s voyage. Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2025 The intermittent access restrictions imposed by SpaceX’s launches, some tribe members say, limit them from freely participating in traditions such as fishing and tribal ceremonies that have been taking place on their ancestral land for thousands of years. Paola Rosa-Aquino, Scientific American, 29 May 2025 Harrison is a sculptor who uses resin to encapsulate objects from his ancestral past and his diasporic present. News Desk, Artforum, 28 May 2025 The brick structure at the family’s ancestral Althorp estate was unoccupied when it was allegedly burned down by vandals, according to Diana’s younger brother, Charles Spencer. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ancestral

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ancestral was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestral. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

ancestral

adjective
an·​ces·​tral an-ˈses-trəl How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
: of, relating to, or developed from an ancestor
ancestral home
ancestrally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on ancestral

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