Genealogy
noun /ˌdʒiː.niˈæl.ə.dʒi/ — The study and tracing of lines of descent; a family's history.
Definition
A line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor; the study and tracing of lines of descent. Genealogy is history made personal — the discovery that what came before you is part of what you are.
Beyond the definition
Genealogy is the search for yourself in strangers. Every ancestor discovered is a story found — a life lived that connects to your own in ways more intimate than any choice you could make.
Origin & history
Greek: 'genea' (generation, race) + 'logos' (study). The systematic study of family lineages and history. The genealogical impulse — the desire to know where we come from — appears in every culture.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The genealogy she traced led her back to a village in County Mayo she had never known existed.
Genealogy has become newly emotional in the age of DNA testing — ancestors suddenly substantiated.
In Nietzsche, genealogy means something different: tracing the origin of moral values, not family trees.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Genealogy” when the meaning fits your context: A line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor; the study and tracing of lines of descent. Genealogy is history made personal — the discovery that what came before you is part of what you are.
Synonyms
ancestry, family history, lineage research, pedigree
Related words
Genealogy vs family tree
Genealogy is the systematic study and research of one's family history. A family tree is the visual diagram or chart that represents the findings of that genealogical research.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Adult in Grand Archive
An adult stands in a quiet, grand archive, holding a heavy, ancient book with handwritten records.
The records in the book could contain the family lines of individuals, making this a study of genealogy, where the history of those who came before is transformed into personal identity.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Genealogy" mean?
Genealogy is noun meaning: The study and tracing of lines of descent; a family's history.. A line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor; the study and tracing of lines of descent. Genealogy is history made personal — the discovery that what came before you is part of what you are.
Where does the word "Genealogy" come from?
Greek: 'genea' (generation, race) + 'logos' (study). The systematic study of family lineages and history. The genealogical impulse — the desire to know where we come from — appears in every culture.