How do you pronounce "ancestor"?

In American English: /ˈænˌsɛstɝ/ (AN-sehst-ur). In British English: /ˈænsˌɛstə/ (ANS-ehst-uh). In Canadian English: /ˈænˌsɛstɝ/ (AN-sehst-ur). In Australian English: /ˈansɛstə/ (ANS-ehst).

Is "ancestor" pronounced differently in American and British English?

Yes. In American English it's pronounced /ˈænˌsɛstɝ/ (AN-sehst-ur), while in British English it's /ˈænsˌɛstə/ (ANS-ehst-uh).

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ancestor

regional

/ˈænˌsɛstɝ/

AN-sehst-ur

Syllable Breakdown

ænan·sɛstces·ɝtor

Source

90%confidence📘 CMU Pronouncing Dictionary v0.7b

All Variants

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Last updated: 2026-02-12