genealogy

noun

ge·​ne·​al·​o·​gy ˌjē-nē-ˈä-lə-jē 

also

-ˈa-lə- 

 also  ˌje-nē-

plural genealogies

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

genealogical

ˌjē-nē-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

ˌje-nē-

adjective

genealogically

ˌjē-nē-ə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

ˌje-nē-

adverb

Synonyms

• ancestry
• lineage
• pedigree
• family

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

In 2023, the county coroner’s office worked with Othram to try to identify the remains using forensic genetic genealogy, deputies said. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025

Ultimately, Jackson learned the name of a possible suspect through the use of genetic genealogy that had been done in South Carolina in 2018. —Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025

Genetic genealogy is the blend of family history and DNA. —Kyani Reid, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2025

The genetic genealogy technique — popularized after the arrest of the Golden State Killer in 2018 — also failed to narrow down a suspect. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English genealogie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin genealogia, from Greek, from genea race, family + -logia -logy; akin to Greek genos race

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for genealogy

• aetiology
• anthropology
• archaeology
• archeology
• audiology
• cardiology
• climatology
• cohomology
• cosmetology
• criminology
• demonology
• dermatology

Kids Definition

genealogy

noun

ge·​ne·​al·​o·​gy ˌjē-nē-ˈäl-ə-jē  ˌjen-ē- 

-ˈal-

plural genealogies

1

: the 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

genealogical

ˌjē-nē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

ˌjen-ē-

adjective

genealogically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

genealogist

-ˈäl-ə-jəst

-ˈal-

noun