ancestral

adjective

an·​ces·​tral an-ˈse-strəl How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
Synonyms of ancestralnext
: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor
ancestral estates
ancestrally
an-ˈse-strə-lē How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
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.
In a country so small and intimately connected, scarcely anyone was untouched by events that shattered the assumptions of a people whose nation was founded to give Jews a safe haven in their ancestral homeland. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026 Maria was the eldest daughter of a family with English Protestant roots who owned and lived on a sprawling ancestral property in central Ireland. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 AndTribal Nations deserve to know that the Commonwealth’s environmental decisions recognize the cultural and historical significance of the waters that connect our communities to our ancestral homelands. — Dana Adkins, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Times staff writer Lila Seidman spoke to Perry Lincoln, a member of the Wailaki Tribe, who said he and other Indigenous people in the area have been left out of the planning process for a hiking trail that cuts through their ancestral land. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 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

Phrases Containing ancestral

Rhymes for ancestral

See All Rhymes for ancestral

Browse Nearby Words

ancestor worship
ancestral
Ancestral Pueblo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestral. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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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
-trə-lē How to pronounce ancestral (audio)
adverb

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