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lineage

LIN-ee-ij /ˈlɪniɪdʒ/

nounC1GRESAT

FormalLiteraryAcademic

Direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree.

Focuses on the continuous unbroken chain of biological or familial ancestry over generations.

The story behind the word. Derived from Old French 'lignage', based on Latin 'linea' (a linen thread or straight line). It visualizes family history as a single unbroken string stretched across generations.

Word relationships

ancestry: Ancestry refers broadly to the group of ancestors, while lineage emphasizes the continuous line connecting them.
pedigree: Pedigree often refers to recorded domestic animal breeding or aristocratic records.

progeny: Progeny refers to forward descendants, whereas lineage points back up the ancestral chain.

Commonly confused with

lineament: Lineament refers to a distinctive facial feature, while lineage is family ancestry.

Word family

lineal (adjective): In a direct line of descent or succession.

Collocations

direct lineage
royal lineage
lineage tracing
ancient lineage

Example sentences

"She traced her direct lineage back to aristocratic families living in sixteenth-century Scotland." Genealogy research
"Genetic analysis revealed that all living domestic dog breeds share a common evolutionary lineage with grey wolves." Evolutionary biology

Memory hook

LINE-age = a long LINE of ages and ancestors. Lineage = drawing a line straight through your family tree.

When not to use

Do not use to describe general personal history or career steps (use 'background' or 'trajectory').

Fun facts

Mitochondrial DNA is inherited exclusively through maternal lineage, enabling geneticists to trace all living humans back to a single ancestral female population.