🇺🇸
/ˈæn.sə.stri/
🇺🇸
/ˈæn.sə.stri/
🇬🇧
/ˈæn.sə.stri/
🇬🇧
/ˈæn.sə.stri/
Plural
ancestries
Ancestry refers to the line of people from whom you are descended — your family's historical roots across generations. Think of it as your personal human timeline stretching back through grandparents, great-grandparents, and beyond, often tied to cultural identity, geography, or genetic heritage.
She used an online service to research her Irish ancestry.
The museum exhibit explored the diverse ancestry of early American settlers.
His ancestry includes both Korean and Mexican heritage.
Genetic testing can reveal surprising details about a person's ancestry.
Understanding your ancestry may help explain certain inherited health traits.
ancestr-
Comes from the Latin noun 'antecessor' (literally 'one who goes before'), formed from 'ante-' ('before') and 'cessor' (from 'cedere', 'to go, yield'). It entered English via Old French 'ancestre'. The core concept is 'a person from whom one is descended; a forefather or foremother'. Examples include ancestry, ancestor, ancestral, ancestress, and the rare 'ancestress'. Core meaning summary: 'foregoing lineage or origin'.
ante-
Comes from Latin 'ante', meaning 'before' in time or position. It functions as a prefix denoting priority, precedence, or anteriority. Examples include ancestry, antebellum, antechamber, antedate, and anterior.