family tree

American

noun

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

family tree British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

family trees

plural

Etymology

Origin of family tree

First recorded in 1800–10

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.

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

A newly identified branch of the marsupial family tree is adding a surprising twist to the history of Australia's most distinctive mammals.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

Mr. Cole, who seems proud that his Banana Ball has a family tree, echoes a common plaint among non-baseball fans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

‘Better yet, what if they’re family? What if I’ve finally got a load of names for my family tree?’

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023