How do you pronounce "ancestral"?

In American English: /ænˈsɛstrəl/ (an-SEHSTR-uhl). In British English: /ænsˈɛstɹəl/ (ans-EHSTR-uhl). In Canadian English: /ænˈsɛstrəl/ (an-SEHSTR-uhl). In Australian English: /ansˈɛstɹəl/ (ANS-ehstr).

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

Yes. In American English it's pronounced /ænˈsɛstrəl/ (an-SEHSTR-uhl), while in British English it's /ænsˈɛstɹəl/ (ans-EHSTR-uhl).

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ancestral

regional

/ænˈsɛstrəl/

an-SEHSTR-uhl

Syllable Breakdown

ænan·sɛstrces·əltral

Source

90%confidence📘 CMU Pronouncing Dictionary v0.7b

All Variants

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Last updated: 2026-02-12