Word
ancestry
Phoneticsan·ces·try, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈænsɛstɹi/
UK/ˈænsɛstɹi/
Definitions
01family history
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the people in your family who lived a long time ago, or your family's history over many years.
n. the lineage or line of descent from ancestors; the collective history of one's forebears.
“He was proud of his Irish ancestry and visited his grandfather's village every summer.”
“Modern DNA testing has allowed many people to uncover details of their ancestry that were previously lost to history due to migration or poor record-keeping.”
Antonyms
02noble birth
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal · Literary
n. coming from a family that has a high social rank or is very important.
n. the state of being descended from a noble, high-ranking, or distinguished family.
“In the old stories, the hero often discovers he is of royal ancestry.”
“The claimant to the throne relied heavily on his documented ancestry to justify his right to rule over the disputed territories.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“When the history of our ancestry is written, the fact that we’ve interbred with some of our closest relatives, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, will have a central role.” “Their hunter-gatherer ancestry swelled from only 10% to 30–40% in some regions.” Etymology
From Middle English auncestrie, from Old French ancesserie. See ancestor.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/ancestry