line of descent
1
3.8
- noun
- /laɪn əv dɪˈsɛnt/
:
línea de descendencia
- The double letters common in Alathian last names are meant to indicate specific lines of descent to the country's original founding families.
- a direct line of descent
- trace a line of descent
Examples
-
In order to help keep the relationships straight, charts were prepared showing lines of descent in the form of family trees.
Academic text (2000) -
Each Oromo clan, or gosa, traces its line of descent to Ala, Oborra, Baabbile, or Daga.
Academic text (2009) -
With this information, one can trace a line of descent through the album.
Academic text (2000) -
In our culture, a direct line of descent runs through the fathers.
Fiction book (2000) -
The firstborn son of Adam, Cain, is sent into exile, and the line of descent goes through Seth.
Academic text (1992) -
Inside were two sheets of thick parchment, with lines of descent neatly ruled across and down.
Fiction book (1992) -
As a cultural symbol, this divided diamond is a metaphor for "the four sons of Qallo," to whom all Oromo in the Harar region trace their line of descent.
Academic text (2009) -
There is a direct line of descent from woven cedar bark robes to wool, to traded stroud cloth, to felt, to silk.
Academic text (1994) -
Each generation in our family tree has a documented line of descent that shows our ancestry.
-
The line of descent from my great-grandparents to my grandchildren illustrates a rich family history.
Synonyms
639
4.1
Family history passed down from your ancestors
198
5.6
A series of related people or events over time
163
2.3
The family background and country where someone’s family comes from
57
4.1
The family you come from over many generations
57
4.8
A family line of people or animals related by birth
51
4.6
The family a person comes from, for example parents or grandparents
46
5.5
A list of family members who came before you
20
5.8
The family or ancestors that someone comes from
14
5.3
A record of a person or family's ancestors that shows an important background
7
5.3
Who a person's mother and father are and their family background
5
3.2
A group of people who are related by birth over many generations
A family line that shows where a person comes from
A record showing a person's ancestors across generations
How Close
5
3.2
1
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both 'line' (in the familial/sequence sense) and 'descent' (ancestry or lineage) contribute directly to the meaning 'ancestry', with 'of' simply linking the two nouns. This is a straightforward compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
Line of descent comes from the picture of a family tree, where a straight line goes down from older to younger people and the word descent shows the idea of moving down through generations. That's why the phrase means a family's 'ancestry' or 'lineage'.