genealogy

noun

ˌjē-nē-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce genealogy (audio)
Definition of genealogynext
as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended has a distinguished genealogy that traces back to William the Conqueror

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of genealogy When the results came back from a genome sequencing laboratory, they were handed off to FHD Forensics, a company that matches DNA with historical genealogy records to identify unknown human remains. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 23 June 2026 Investigators identified Cheryl using forensic genetic genealogy. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026 Othram, based in The Woodlands, Texas, specializes in advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy, a method that can help investigators identify suspects or unknown victims when traditional law enforcement databases do not produce a match. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 The work to identify Pumphrey’s remains was a collaborative effort led by FHD Forensics, which uses DNA technology and forensic investigative genetic genealogy for unknown subject investigations. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for genealogy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for genealogy
  1. ancestry
  2. lineage
  3. pedigree
  4. family
Noun
  • However, elites’ DNA contained genetic similarities known as runs of homozygosity — adjacent genetic markers indicating common ancestry — and their genomes tended to be more homogenous than those of non-elites.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Maybe that ancestry made Beck the wrong guy to pitch on America’s big day.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
Definition of ancestry
Noun
  • Green said that through William's mother, the late Princess Diana, his lineage traces back to Benajah Strong.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • The research team, led by Ellie Bourgikos and Nathan Grubaugh at the Yale School of Public Health, estimates that one of the virus’s two major lineages arrived in the Northeast by the early 1700s.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of lineage
Noun
  • Today’s hiring manager should prioritize foundational knowledge, work ethic, and adaptability over the pedigree of a degree or years of experience even from top companies.
    — Vinay Kuruvila, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • The high-pedigree cast features Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and many more.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Definition of pedigree
Noun
  • The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • History shows family successions, whether in North Korea or Syria, tend to happen through rigid authoritarian control, with the transfer of power underwritten by whoever controls the military.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of family

Browse Nearby Words

genealogists
genealogy
genera
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Cite this Entry

“Genealogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genealogy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on genealogy

Nglish: Translation of genealogy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about genealogy

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