lineage

1 of 2

noun (1)

lin·​e·​age ˈli-nē-ij 

 also  ˈli-nij

1

a

: descent in a line from a common progenitor

b

: derivation

the gun's direct lineage is in the 1960s

—Erik Larson

2

: a group of individuals tracing descent from a common ancestor

especially : such a group of persons whose common ancestor is regarded as its founder

lineage

2 of 2

noun (2)

line·​age

less common spelling of linage

: the number of lines of printed or written matter

Synonyms

Noun (1)

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

Examples of lineage in a Sentence

Noun (1)

his Italian lineage was very important to him

it is now generally accepted that the lineage of Thomas Jefferson includes black as well as white members

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Perpetual Calendar Chronograph | $190,000 Patek Philippe’s lineage of perpetual calendar references is legendary, beginning with the ref. —Blake Buettner, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024

Looking at the two other lineages of Cravalho’s mixed ancestry, less than 5% of Hawaiians identified as Irish in the most recent American Community Survey — just over 66,000. —Arturo Conde, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2024

Over time, those lineages of cells grow distinct, giving rise to all the different organs and tissues in the human body and comprising as many as 36 trillion cells. —Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

Each lineage has evolved something different than the other. —Janna Levin, Quanta Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

lineage

noun

lin·​eage

ˈlin-ē-ij

1

: the ancestors from whom a person is descended

2

: the people descended from the same ancestor

Medical Definition

lineage

noun

lin·​e·​age

ˈlin-ē-ij also ˈlin-ij

1

: descent in a line from a common progenitor

2

: a group of individuals descended from a common ancestor

replication in T cell lineages