matrilineal

American  

[ma-truh-lin-ee-uhl, mey-] / ˌmæ trəˈlɪn i əl, ˌmeɪ- /

Also matrilinear

adjective

1. inheriting or determining descent through the female line.

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matrilineal British  

/ ˌmeɪ-, ˌmætrɪˈlɪnɪəl /

adjective

1. relating to descent or kinship through the female line

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matrilineal Cultural  

1. Tracing kinship and descent through the female line. (Compare patrilineal.)

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Other Word Forms

• matrilineally adverb
• matrilinearly adverb

Etymology

Origin of matrilineal

First recorded in 1900–05; matri- + lineal

Compare meaning

How does matrilineal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• matrilineal vs. patrilineal

Example Sentences

Knowles debunks her reputation as a stage mom, though she carried on her matrilineal penchant for designing and sewing clothes, as the stylist for Destiny’s Child.

From Los Angeles Times

It is an amazing story that was too big for the film, of firsthand knowledge that has been passed down in a matrilineal way.

From Salon

Females are in charge, and rank means everything—a matrilineal system that has fueled the spotted hyena’s rise as the most abundant large carnivore in Africa.

From National Geographic

He noted that sperm whales are a matrilineal society, with young males leaving and switching oceans at some point in their lives.

From Seattle Times

They include matrilineal systems in which the most significant male relative is the mother’s brother and communities where fatherhood is determined by the transfer of cattle to a woman’s family.

From Science Magazine