pedigree

noun

ped·​i·​gree ˈpe-də-ˌgrē How to pronounce pedigree (audio)
1
: a register recording a line of ancestors
The pedigree traces the family back to the 18th century.
2
a
: an ancestral line : lineage
That horse has an impressive pedigree.
b
: the origin and the history of something
Democracy's pedigree stretches back to ancient Greece.
broadly : background, history
3
a
: a distinguished ancestry
actions spoke louder than pedigrees in the trenchesDixon Wecter
b
: the recorded purity of breed of an individual or strain
vouch for a horse's pedigree
pedigreed adjective
or pedigree

Examples of pedigree in a Sentence

That horse has an impressive pedigree. What is the dog's pedigree? The puppy came with papers proving its pedigree. Democracy is an idea with a pedigree stretching back to ancient Greece. The company has an excellent pedigree with over a century in the business.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So how does someone with Cryer’s pedigree, and the intangibles that have endeared him to the older Warriors players not even get an invitation to the G League combine? Nick Friedell, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 The home sits on a street lined with stately palazzos once owned by Tuscan nobility—and this one has quite the pedigree. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025 The project’s prestigious pedigree allowed the producers to be strategic about which partners to invite, rather than having to convince reluctant financiers. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025 The film looks like a million bucks, has a high pedigree of talent, and mistakes constant poking for conversation, endless buzzwords for a buffet of food for thought, incendiary hypotheticals for insight. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pedigree

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pedegru, from Anglo-French pé de grue, literally, crane's foot; from the shape made by the lines of a genealogical chart

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pedigree was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Pedigree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedigree. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

pedigree

noun
ped·​i·​gree ˈped-ə-ˌgrē How to pronounce pedigree (audio)
1
: a table or list showing the line of ancestors of a person or animal
2
: an ancestral line : lineage
3
: purity of breed recorded by a pedigree
pedigreed adjective

Medical Definition

pedigree

noun
ped·​i·​gree ˈped-ə-ˌgrē How to pronounce pedigree (audio)
: a record of the ancestry of an individual
the pedigree of a diabetic patient

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