WikiWord

English

matrilineal

/ˌmeɪtɹɪˈlɪnɪəl/ · adj

Meaning

  1. Tracing descent only through female ancestors.

Etymology / origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr Proto-Italic *mātēr Latin māterder. English matri- English lineal English matrilineal From matri- + lineal. Coined by British government anthropologist Northcote Whitridge Thomas in 1904 along with patrilineal.

Related words

Descendant words

Sources

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