bloodline

noun

blood·​line ˈbləd-ˌlīn 

: a sequence of direct ancestors especially in a pedigree

also : family, strain

Synonyms

• ancestry
• birth
• blood
• breeding
• descent
• extraction
• family tree
• genealogy
• line
• lineage
• origin
• parentage
• pedigree
• stock
• strain

Examples of bloodline in a Sentence

came from a bloodline that could be traced back to the 12th century

Recent Examples on the Web

In Germany, for example, a strict adherence to the principle of jus sanguinis (the right of blood), which allocates citizenship based on bloodlines, left the country with a threat to its status as a liberal democracy in the 1980s. —Marcela Valdes, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025

Dexter — who was shot, with his consent, by son Harrison (Alcott) in a bid to stop the killer cycle in their bloodline — is then brought back to life by doctors. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025

There, bloodlines blur, and love takes center stage. —David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Jan. 2025

There are also plenty of other holidays to celebrate familial bloodlines. —Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 28 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bloodline

noun

blood·​line -ˌlīn 

: a sequence of direct ancestors especially in a pedigree

also : family sense 2, strain sense 1a