Words / B2

ANS-estr-ee/ˈænsestri/

Ancestry is a person’s family origin over many generations (usually uncountable): of Irish ancestry; ancestry and descent. Ancestor is the person (already in the dictionary); descent is a close twin; lineage is more formal. Ancestry in the census still needs a named parish. Mix-up: ancestry vs ancestry.com as a brand; century; do not write ancestry for a single living parent.

Meaning

A person’s family origin over many generations (usually uncountable).

Examples

• “Ancestry in the census still needs a named parish, the history paper said.”
• “Genetic ancestry featured in the biology extract, which is the population-genetics sense — still name the marker if given.”

Good to know

of + adjective + ancestry; trace your ancestry; ancestry and descent. Person: ancestor (already in B2). Close: descent / lineage / heritage. Trap: a living parent only. History, biology, and citizenship. Family origin over generations — name the parish or the marker.

Near in meaning

descent, lineage, heritage

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