pedigree

American  

[ped-i-gree] / ˈpɛd ɪˌgri /

noun

pedigrees plural

1. an ancestral line; line of descent; lineage; ancestry.

2. a genealogical table, chart, list, or record, especially of a purebred animal.

3. distinguished, excellent, or pure ancestry.

4. derivation, origin, or history.

   the pedigree of a word.

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pedigree British  

/ ˈpɛdɪˌɡriː /

noun

1. 1. the line of descent of a purebred animal

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pedigree bull

2. a document recording this

3. a genealogical table, esp one indicating pure ancestry

4. derivation or background

   the pedigree of an idea

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Synonym Usage

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

Derived Forms

• pedigreed
  adjective
• pedigreeless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pedigrees
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

Brazil entered its Round of 16 tilt on Sunday with the pedigree of a record five World Cup championships.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

Glasner arrives at Forest with a winning pedigree, but is he putting his reputation on the line?

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026

Burden’s glamorous pedigree only adds to the story’s allure and intrigue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

Still, a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker with an estimable European operatic pedigree could also appear an incongruous fit for L.A., which came to opera quite late in any kind of consistent or intrinsic way.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

Woolf had the ideal pedigree for a jockey.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Related Words

• lineage