patrilineal
pat-ruh-LIN-ee-uhl
/ˌpætrɪˈlɪniəl/
Inheriting or determining descent through the male line.
This term is strictly structural, referring to how a society tracks family names, property, and social status exclusively through fathers.
The story behind the word. Coined by combining the Latin pater (father) with linea (line). It reflects the historical focus of many Western and Eastern legal systems on securing property and titles through male heirs.
Word relationships
- agnatic: Agnatic is a more technical legal term for male-line descent, whereas patrilineal is the standard anthropological term.
- matrilineal: Matrilineal refers to tracing descent and inheritance through the female line.
- bilateral: Bilateral refers to tracing descent through both the mother's and father's lines equally.
Commonly confused with
- patriarchal: Patriarchal refers to social power being held by men, while patrilineal refers specifically to the tracing of lineage and inheritance through the male line.
Word family
- patriliny (noun): The system of tracing descent through the male line.
Collocations
- patrilineal descent
- patrilineal society
- patrilineal inheritance
- patrilineal clan
Example sentences
- "In traditional patrilineal societies, a woman leaves her family upon marriage to join her husband's clan." An anthropological study of traditional Chinese society.
- "The crown was passed down through a patrilineal system, completely bypassing daughters." Explaining legal inheritance laws in medieval Europe.
Memory hook
The prefix 'patri-' sounds like 'paternal' or 'patriarch'. It's the father's line. Patri- (father) + lineal (line).
When not to use
Do not use to describe a society simply run by men (which is patriarchal); patrilineal specifically refers to the tracing of descent.
Fun facts
- The Y chromosome is passed down almost entirely unchanged from father to son, making it a biological equivalent to a patrilineal surname.
Related words
Also appears in
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