bloodline

American  

[bluhd-lahyn] / ˈblʌdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. (usually of animals) the line of descent; pedigree; strain.

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bloodline British  

/ ˈblʌdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. all the members of a family group over generations, esp regarding characteristics common to that group; pedigree

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Etymology

Origin of bloodline

First recorded in 1905–10; blood + line ¹

Example Sentences

I delivered a speech arguing that the U.S. is a nation defined above all by ideals, not shared bloodlines.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Kim family has ruled North Korea with an iron grip for decades, and a cult of personality surrounding their so-called "Paektu bloodline" dominates daily life in the isolated country.

From Barron's

Her grandfather Charlie, an actor who embraced visual effects a century ago with “The Gold Rush,” would have been impressed by how his bloodline has kept pace with cinema’s evolution.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Berry believes that a tale can be as binding as a bloodline.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Cleveland, I found relatives whose faces felt like mirrors of mine, an eerie recognition that happens when bloodlines reintroduce themselves after decades of distance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• genealogy
• lineage
• parentage
• pedigree