adjective
ancestral
an-SES-trul/ænˈsestrəl/
Relating to or inherited from ancestors.
The family tree traces the young man's ancestral connections through earlier generations.
Etymology
The “forebear” base becomes an adjective meaning “pertaining to forebears.” It connects what is described with the earlier generations of a family.
In context
Our ancestral grandmothers and grandfathers lived in an attentive relationship to the songs of other species, contributing to conversations that span back millions of years.
More examples
- She preserves several ancestral traditions through cooking.
- The painting shows an ancestral figure from the family history.
- Researchers compare the modern species with its ancestral form.
Forms
ancestor noun — An earlier forebear from whom someone descends.
Similar words
- inherited
- Can concern property or traits without emphasizing distant forebears.
- traditional
- Emphasizes established practice rather than descent through ancestry.