family tree

American  

noun

family trees plural

1. a genealogical chart showing the ancestry, descent, and relationship of all members of a family or other genealogical group.

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family tree British  

noun

1. Also called: genealogical tree.  a chart showing the genealogical relationships and lines of descent of a family

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• family trees
  plural

Etymology

Origin of family tree

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

family tree

Strangers don’t need to know your whole family tree, which is the first way asking for free advice differs from paying a professional.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

He describes his modern family tree as a sprawling “tribe,” counting 16 nephews and 42 great-nephews.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Perhaps Lodge’s career path didn’t stray too far from the family tree after all.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

This small group of ancient crocodile relatives evolved body plans that closely resembled bipedal theropod dinosaurs, despite belonging to a very different branch of the reptile family tree.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

“Would you like me to have your family tree examined, like I had Dirk Cresswell’s?”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling