an
cest
ry
Plural
ancestries
1
the people from whom a person is descended
- She traced her ancestry back to the 16th century.
- His ancestry includes both Irish and Italian roots.
- Many people use DNA tests to explore their ancestry.
- He is proud of his royal ancestry.
- The ancestry of the family can be seen in old portraits.
2
inherited traits or properties shared with others in one's bloodline
- Certain medical conditions run in their ancestry.
- They studied the ancestry of musical ability in families.
- Traits like eye color and hair type are determined by ancestry.
- Some researchers investigate ancestry to understand genetic diseases.
- Intelligence can be influenced by ancestry as well as environment.
Synonyms: