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.
Highlights include a pocket watch owned by Al Capone at Sotheby’s, a Rolex Daytona with a racing pedigree at Phillips and a Patek Philippe from 1989 that was once the world’s most complicated watch, from Christie’s. Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Nowhere did the gold standard develop a more distinguished pedigree than in Britain, which established it in the 1700s and maintained it almost continuously until World War I. Most countries suspended the gold standard during the War but returned to it afterward. Time, 23 May 2025 The Roy children are very much bred into a certain pedigree. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 20 May 2025 For a Bears team lacking players with a winning pedigree, landing Thuney was impactful for the locker room. Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 20 May 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 28 May. 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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