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Glite Dictionary
lineally

lineally

8.4
In a direct line from an ancestor
  • adverb
  • /ˈlɪniəˌli/
translation icon : linealmente
  • She is lineally related to the famous author.

Examples

  • The title can only be claimed by those who are lineally descended from the founder.

  • Inheritance passes lineally from father to eldest son in that tradition.

  • She is related lineally to the royal family through her grandfather.

  • Are you lineally descended from King Henry VIII?

  • He is lineally related to the famous scientist through his grandmother.

  • The estate will lineally pass to the eldest son after the father's death.

  • She can trace her lineage lineally back to the early settlers of the region.

Synonyms

directly
vslineally
324 1.0

In a straight line without turning

is used for ancestral descent meaning as well as straight line sense
straightly
vslineally
1 5.6

In a straight, direct way without turning or avoiding

also covers descent from ancestors as well as straight line meaning

How Direct

directly
324 1.0
lineally
8.4
indirectly
78 4.2
collaterally
  • Formal
9.9

Surface Forms

lineally positive

Morphology

lineally = lineal (transparent) = lineal + ly

Standard adverb formation from the adjective 'lineal' with predictable meaning 'in a line or by descent'.

Etymology

Lineally comes from the old Latin word linea, which means 'line' or 'thread' and is the same root as English line and lineage. So, to be lineally related is to be in the same straight family 'line', that is, a direct descendant, or simply to be in a straight line.