ancestry

/ˈænsestri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈænsestri/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈan-ˌse-strē/ (ame, mw)

ancestry — noun

  • ancestrysingular
  • ancestriesplural

1. the line of people from earlier generations that a person comes from, showing wh

1.名詞B2
釋義

the line of people from earlier generations that a person comes from, showing where their family originally came from or what ethnic groups they belong to

例句

The museum exhibit traced the African ancestry of many families living in Salvador, Brazil.

trace + ancestry showing family origins

A DNA test helped Ling discover her Korean ancestry and find relatives in Seoul.

learn about / discover + ancestry

同義詞
  • descent

    focuses on the ethnic or national line someone belongs to; 'a person of Korean descent'

  • lineage

    emphasises the direct family line in order; more formal and often used in historical contexts

  • heritage

    broader in meaning — includes cultural traditions, language, and beliefs, not just biological ancestors

  • roots

    informal and emotional; 'returning to her Caribbean roots'

反義詞
  • descendants

    the people who come after you in a family line, not before you

文法句型

be of ~

trace ~

have ~

用法筆記

Frequently used with possessive determiners (my, his, their) or the preposition 'of' (be of X ancestry). Often modified by an ethnic or national adjective: Italian ancestry, Jewish ancestry, Korean ancestry.

常見錯誤

❌My ancestry comes from Ireland.
✅My ancestors came from Ireland.
💡'ancestry' refers to the whole line of ancestors, not a person who moves.
❌I have an ancestry in Scotland.
✅I have Scottish ancestry.
💡'ancestry' is typically uncountable and is followed by an adjective, not a prepositional phrase with 'in'.