lineage

¹ American  

[lin-ee-ij] / ˈlɪn i ɪdʒ /

noun

1. lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry or extraction.

   She could trace her lineage to the early Pilgrims.

   Synonyms:

   genealogy, derivation, parentage, pedigree

2. the line of descendants of a particular ancestor; family.

   Synonyms:

   clan, tribe

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lineage ² American  

[lahy-nij] / ˈlaɪ nɪdʒ /

noun

1. linage.

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lineage ¹ British  

/ ˈlɪnɪɪdʒ /

noun

1. direct descent from an ancestor, esp a line of descendants from one ancestor

2. a less common word for derivation

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lineage ² British  

/ ˈlaɪnɪdʒ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of linage

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Etymology

Origin of lineage

1275–1325; line(al) + -age; replacing Middle English linage < Anglo-French; Old French lignage < Vulgar Latin *līneāticum. See line ¹, -age

Example Sentences

But as Rubio said, cowboy lineage can be traced to the Iberian Peninsula — as far back as the late medieval era, before Spain as a nation even existed.

From Los Angeles Times

Kikuo is more gifted but in this nepotistic art form, being part of a respected kabuki lineage is crucial, something this yakuza scion doesn’t possess.

From Los Angeles Times

Zhang’s arrest on Jan. 19 marked a stunning fall for a man whose political lineage and loyalty once made him the bedrock of the Chinese ruler’s military flank.

From The Wall Street Journal

The RSC said there was an artistic and creative lineage from Shakespeare through to the writers he has directly inspired in the present day, including Martin.

From BBC

This strategy combined CAR transduction, strong expansion of progenitor cells, and guided commitment to the NK lineage.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• clan
• descent
• genealogy
• origin
• pedigree