ancestral
adjective
an·ces·tral
an-ˈse-strəl 
: of, relating to, or inherited from an ancestor
ancestral estates
Examples of ancestral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Restoring the roof would also enlist skilled carpenters, stone workers and artisans trained in ancestral techniques with roots in French and European history.
—
Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
The principle emotion during that celebration was gratitude that finally tribes had triumphed in the effort to restore their ancestral lands, and hope that the next phase is going to go just as well.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
As the first Italian American to serve as first lady, Biden has included a visit to her ancestral hometown of Gesso, a small Sicilian village where her father's family has its roots, as part of her itinerary.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
The land, which is about 40 miles from the 40 Acre Conservation League’s property and was once owned by a Quaker school, will be developed for housing for elders and facilities to cultivate ancestral crops and traditional medicine.
—Michelle Weber, Longreads, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ancestral 
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.
Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
The principle emotion during that celebration was gratitude that finally tribes had triumphed in the effort to restore their ancestral lands, and hope that the next phase is going to go just as well.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
As the first Italian American to serve as first lady, Biden has included a visit to her ancestral hometown of Gesso, a small Sicilian village where her father's family has its roots, as part of her itinerary.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
The land, which is about 40 miles from the 40 Acre Conservation League’s property and was once owned by a Quaker school, will be developed for housing for elders and facilities to cultivate ancestral crops and traditional medicine.
—Michelle Weber, Longreads, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ancestral
Dictionary Entries Near ancestral
Cite this Entry
“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ancestral. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ancestral
adjective
an·ces·tral
an-ˈses-trəl
: of, relating to, or developed from an ancestor
ancestral home
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share