lineal

adjective

lin·​e·​al ˈli-nē-əl 

1

: linear

2

: composed of or arranged in lines

3

a

: consisting of or being in a direct male or female line of ancestry compare collateral sense 2

b

: relating to or derived from ancestors : hereditary

c

: descended in a direct line

4

a

: belonging to one lineage

lineal relatives

b

: of, relating to, or dealing with a lineage

lineality

ˌli-nē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

lineally

ˈli-nē-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of lineal in a Sentence

He claims that he is a lineal descendent of a famous military hero.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the official announcement, demo teams laid 22,000 lineal feet of detonating cord through both the Paradise and Club Towers prior to implosion. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2024

In his professional boxing debut, Ngannou dropped Fury and lost a close decision to the lineal champion. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

The Cherokee Nation, one of the two largest Native groups in the United States, will accept anyone who can prove some lineal descent in specific records. —Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024

Each tribe determines its own enrollment, but a common requirement is lineal descendancy from someone on the tribal roll. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lineal

adjective

lin·​eal

ˈlin-ē-əl

1

: linear

lineal measure

2

a

: consisting of or being in a direct line of descent

b

: hereditary sense 3

lineally

-ē-ə-lē

adverb

Legal Definition

lineal

adjective

lin·​e·​al ˈli-nē-əl 

: consisting of or being in a direct male or female line of ancestry

a lineal descendant

compare collateral sense 2