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

“Any family tree is going to be filled with colors,” Marshall added.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

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

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

Something that might begin to fill in the blanks of the family tree I’m supposed to be creating.

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