Genealogy
ˌdʒiːniˈɒlədʒi
Definitions
The study and tracing of lines of descent or origin; the investigation of ancestry and family history.
ˌdʒiːniˈɒlədʒi
The study of family ancestries and histories.
He hired a genealogist to help him trace his family tree.
💡 Simply: Genealogy is like being a detective for your family's past! You try to find out who your great-grandparents were, and even further back, to see how your family came to be.
👶 For kids: Genealogy is like figuring out who your family members were way back in time!
More Examples
She was fascinated by her family's genealogy and spent hours researching online.
The museum has a vast collection of genealogical records.
How It's Used
"She spent years researching her family's genealogy to trace her ancestors."
"Genealogy helps to understand societal patterns and migrations."
From Late Latin *genealogia*, from Greek *genea* (race, family) + *-logia* (study of). It entered English in the 16th century.
In historical texts, genealogy was often used to establish claims of inheritance or royal lineage.
Memory tip
Imagine a family tree with each branch representing a generation. Genealogy is the process of mapping this tree.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: genea