pedigree
Americannoun
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an ancestral line; line of descent; lineage; ancestry.
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a genealogical table, chart, list, or record, especially of a purebred animal.
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distinguished, excellent, or pure ancestry.
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derivation, origin, or history.
the pedigree of a word.
noun
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the line of descent of a purebred animal
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( as modifier )
a pedigree bull
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a document recording this
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a genealogical table, esp one indicating pure ancestry
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derivation or background
the pedigree of an idea
Related Words
Pedigree, genealogy refer to an account of ancestry. A pedigree is a table or chart recording a line of ancestors, either of persons or (more especially) of animals, as horses, cattle, and dogs; in the case of animals, such a table is used as proof of superior qualities: a detailed pedigree. A genealogy is an account of the descent of a person or family traced through a series of generations, usually from the first known ancestor: a genealogy that includes a king.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pedigree
1375–1425; late Middle English pedegru, from Anglo-French, equivalent to Middle French pie de grue literally, “foot of crane,” a fanciful way of describing the appearance of the lines of a genealogical chart
Explanation
The noun pedigree refers to the genetic background of an animal, although it is sometimes applied to people as well. A purebred dog, for example, comes with a verified pedigree, a list of all past parentage. The preoccupation with pedigree isn't new — the concern for human pedigree can be seen in the Bible, where generations are meticulously recorded. Pedigree, referring to a genealogical chart, appeared in 1410 from the Anglo-French pe de gru, meaning "foot of a crane," referring to the chart’s tree — like lines, which looked like the print of a crane's foot. The importance of pedigree extends to animals such as dogs and horses, with breeders careful to follow the animal's lines to assure "purity."
Vocabulary lists containing pedigree
Dog Vocabulary: A Canine Lexicon
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"The Mixer," Vocabulary from the short story
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This Week in Words: December 30, 2017 - January 5, 2018
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hrgovic brings strong pedigree, having won Olympic bronze in 2016.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Circor’s vice chairman, Tony Najjar, lauded Parker’s innovation and said he was excited for Circor employees to join such a pedigree company.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
As the son of famed English folk singer-songwriters Richard and Linda Thompson, he has a musical pedigree — and gifts that are wholly his own.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
The evolutionary view of the past against which Mr. Wyman writes has a distinguished pedigree.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Woolf had the ideal pedigree for a jockey.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
