as in lineage
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a Cambodian immigrant who can trace her Khmer ancestry as far back as the 16th century
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ancestry
National Archives/Interim Archives/Getty Images In a move not unlike the one Trump is now contemplating, President Grover Cleveland set in motion a chain of events that culminated in immigration officials denying entry to U.S. citizens of Chinese ancestry returning from trips abroad.
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Rachel E. Rosenbloom / Made By History, TIME, 15 Jan. 2025
Shortly after, 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry living in the U.S., many of them citizens, were forced into incarceration camps under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2025
The Moana Collection Moana’s lip gloss and body wash contain notes of lush greens, plumeria breeze, and sweet coconut water to represent her strength as well as her love for her family and ancestry.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 12 Feb. 2025
But a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation investigation in 2023 shed doubt on the singer's claims of Indigenous ancestry.
—Chloe Veltman, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestry
Noun
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The story—Franklin had appreciatively sung back to her a line from the performance—might have been the lead anecdote in a profile of Erivo that sought to place her in a lineage of distinguished vocalists.—
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Sidney Crosby’s 2010 Golden Goal was part of a long lineage of U.S. disappointment in best-on-best tournaments against Canada.—
Noun
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Using advancements in technology and forensic genealogy and a DNA analysis lab in Richmond, the investigators were able to identify a next of kin, the sheriff’s office said.—
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Forensic genetic genealogy is used to try to find a DNA match to a person's relatives, rather than finding a direct match to the person.—
Noun
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The eight-episode season is an origin story for the titular king, beginning with a flash forward to his showdown with Goliath (Martyn Ford) before rewinding to his days as a humble shepherd.—
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The duet finds both musicians singing lyrics seemingly inspired by the origin of their relationship.—
Noun
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Not only from a profile and pedigree perspective, but in terms of adding further burdens to a wage bill that was already teetering on the edge.—
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His scoring, creativity, and championship pedigree are part of why Dallas remains in the mix despite Dončić’s injuries.—
Noun
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He’s started the descent and there is no going back.—
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The man, who is believed to be of Asian descent, is now considered a person of interest in the case.—
Noun
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Yet the character genuinely loves his family, including younger siblings Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), a college student, and teenager Lochlan (Sam Nivola).—
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Nay and his family moved from Kentucky to Star to help get LifeSpring off the ground after the former church at the site, one of the oldest in the state, endured internal conflict and aging membership.—
Noun
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The recent job cuts will hamper the center’s breeding and training efforts, experts told Vox.—
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Although the winter brought dry, cool conditions, a surge is expected this spring as rising temperatures and humidity create ideal breeding conditions.—
Cite this Entry
“Ancestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestry. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
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