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

Scientists urged conservation efforts to save the unique lineage. —CBS News, 25 Apr. 2025

After the Challenger accident in 1986, NASA launched most of its satellites on expendable rockets, like the Atlas, Delta, and Titan launch vehicles that traced their lineages to the 1950s. —ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025

Comprehensive data lineages map data flows across this entire ecosystem, providing clarity on how information moves and transforms. —Abhi Sharma, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Tagle often cites his Chinese lineage — his maternal grandmother was part of a Chinese family that moved to the Philippines — and he is known for becoming emotional when discussing his childhood. —Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025

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