genealogy

ge·ne·al·o·gy | \ ˌjē-nē-ˈä-lə-jē

How to pronounce genealogy (audio)

also -ˈa-lə-

How to pronounce genealogy (audio)

also ˌje-nē- \

plural genealogies

Definition of genealogy

1 : an account of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or from older forms

2 : regular descent of a person, family, or group of organisms from a progenitor (see progenitor sense 1) or older form : pedigree

3 : the study of family ancestral lines

4 : an account of the origin and historical development of something

Other Words from genealogy Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about genealogy

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Examples of genealogy in a Sentence

They've been researching their genealogies. has a distinguished genealogy that traces back to William the Conqueror

Recent Examples on the Web Detectives used investigative genetic genealogy and developed a list of possible leads. — Mike Cruz, The Arizona Republic, "Chandler police make arrest in 1991 sexual assault cold case," 7 Aug. 2020 Mormons, as part of their faith practice, prioritize documenting family history and genealogy. — The Salt Lake Tribune, "Scrapbooking isn’t just for white people," 5 Aug. 2020 Authorities say the case was solved because of genetic genealogy. — Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, "DNA Leads to Arrest of Woman Who Allegedly Killed Newborn Baby, Left Body in Paper Bag in 1988," 5 Aug. 2020 Bath loved to draw, play video games and study his family's genealogy. — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marine from Oak Creek lost in amphibious assault vehicle sinking is remembered for his loyalty," 3 Aug. 2020 In March, the police department partnered with Advance DNA, a forensic genealogy research company, which used the DNA sample to assemble a family tree for the potential suspect and provide additional leads for the detectives, McConnell said. — Ganesh Setty, CNN, "DNA evidence points to 8-year-old's killer after 38 years," 28 June 2020 Trips are tailored to suit travelers’ interests, including food, photography, genealogy, gardens, adventure, and more. — Sara Clemence, Travel + Leisure, "The Top 10 Tour Operators," 8 July 2020 A year after Joseph DeAngelo’s arrest, genealogy pro Barbara Rae-Venter keeps solving crimes. — Kellie Hwang, SFChronicle.com, "The Golden State Killer case: A roundup of the Chronicle’s coverage," 29 June 2020 The suspect in these crimes had evaded police forces until April 2018, when DNA found at one of the Killer’s 1980 crime scenes matched an identified relative’s online genealogy profile. — Asia Ewart, refinery29.com, "Golden State Killer Pleads Guilty To A Horrific String Of Unsolved Crimes," 29 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'genealogy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

15 Aug 2020

Cite this Entry

“Genealogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genealogy. Accessed 22 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for genealogy

genealogy

noun

English Language Learners Definition of genealogy

: the study of family history

: the history of a particular family showing how the different members of the family are related to each other

See the full definition for genealogy in the English Language Learners Dictionary

genealogy

ge·ne·al·o·gy | \ ˌjē-nē-ˈä-lə-jē

\

plural genealogies

Kids Definition of genealogy

1 : a line of ancestors of a person or family or a history of such a line of ancestors

2 : the study of family lines of ancestors

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