genealogy
noun
ge·ne·al·o·gy
ˌjē-nē-ˈä-lə-jē 
also
-ˈa-lə-
also ˌje-nē-
plural genealogies
1
: an account of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or from older forms
2
: regular descent of a person, family, or group of organisms from a progenitor (see progenitor sense 1) or older form : pedigree
3
: the study of family ancestral lines
4
: an account of the origin and historical development of something
Examples of genealogy in a Sentence
They've been researching their genealogies.
has a distinguished genealogy that traces back to William the Conqueror
Recent Examples on the Web
As Ruth’s secret grandchild, Evan is the last of the Warren bloodline, assuming Rosemary’s (Dale Dickey) genealogy research was accurate, and his death would end the curse for good.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Some applicants reportedly relied on genealogy websites such as Ancestry or FamilySearch, while others submitted archival records rather than documents issued by provincial vital statistics offices or civil registries, CIC News reported.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 June 2026
Then in 2024, circumstances changed when the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office partnered with the nonprofit DNA Doe Project to generate new leads using investigative genealogy.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
The case stands as a powerful example of how advancements in forensic science, particularly utilizing DNA and forensic genetic genealogy, continue to transform cold case investigations, delivering answers even decades after crimes occur.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for genealogy
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Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Some applicants reportedly relied on genealogy websites such as Ancestry or FamilySearch, while others submitted archival records rather than documents issued by provincial vital statistics offices or civil registries, CIC News reported.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 June 2026
Then in 2024, circumstances changed when the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office partnered with the nonprofit DNA Doe Project to generate new leads using investigative genealogy.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
The case stands as a powerful example of how advancements in forensic science, particularly utilizing DNA and forensic genetic genealogy, continue to transform cold case investigations, delivering answers even decades after crimes occur.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for genealogy
Cite this Entry
“Genealogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genealogy. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
genealogy
noun
ge·ne·al·o·gy
ˌjē-nē-ˈäl-ə-jē
ˌjen-ē-
ˌjen-ē-
-ˈal-
plural genealogies
1
: the line of ancestors of a person or family or a history of such a line of ancestors
2
: the study of family lines of ancestors
genealogist
noun
-ˈäl-ə-jəst,
-ˈal-
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