Word
ancestral
Phoneticsan·ces·tral, stress on the second syllable
US/ænˈsɛstɹəɫ/
UK/ænsˈɛstɹəl/
Definitions
01inherited from family
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. relating to your ancestors or the family members who lived before you.
adj. pertaining to, derived from, or possessed by one's ancestors.
“The family returned to their ancestral home in the countryside for the summer.”
“The disputed territory was considered their ancestral land, held by the tribe for centuries before the colonial administration arrived.”
Synonyms
02biological origins
C1 · Advanced Science Technical · Academic
adj. describing an early form of a plant, animal, or gene from which others developed.
adj. denoting a precursor or an earlier evolutionary type from which current species or traits are derived.
“Scientists studied the ancestral DNA to understand how the species changed over time.”
“The researchers identified an ancestral gene that remains present in both modern birds and their reptilian predecessors.”
Real-World Examples
“The Sussexes also visited Althorp, the ancestral home of Princess Diana’s family, the Spencers, reports InStyle .” “The study also provides an unusually detailed view of adaptive radiation, the process through which one ancestral species rapidly gives rise to many forms suited to different habitats.” “For example, the Wounaan ancestral story of creation includes advice from the Creator on how to revise initial errors made in forming humans, showing the importance of making improvements to create change.” “Flipping these switches back on might allow the expression of some ancestral characteristics.” Etymology
From Anglo-Norman ancestrel, from ancestre (“ancestor”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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