Genealogy Terms

noun a person, typically one more remote than a grandparent, from whom one is descended

• Many people are interested in tracing their ancestors through genealogical research.
• My grandmother loves telling stories about our ancestors and their adventures.
• I heard that dude is like the ancestor of all party animals.
• The ancient ruins are the ancestors of modern architecture.

noun a position or situation of advantage or superiority

adjective rising in power or influence

• The ascendant economic power of China is a topic of much discussion among global leaders.
• Her career is on the ascendant, with each promotion bringing her closer to her goal.
• That new rapper is on the ascendant - everyone is talking about their latest track.
• The ascendant sun cast a warm glow over the peaceful meadow.

noun aunt

• My aunt is a respected professor at the university.
• I'm going to visit my aunt this weekend.
• My aunt is so chill, she always lets me stay up late.
• She's like the cool aunt who always has the best advice.

adjective relating to baptism or a ceremony of baptism

• The baptismal ceremony took place in the grand cathedral.
• We're going to the baptismal party this weekend, want to come?
• I heard the baptismal was lit, everyone was having a great time.
• The baptismal of knowledge opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the students.

noun a person born of parents not married to each other; an illegitimate child

adjective of inferior quality or condition

• The man was rumored to be a bastard child of the king.
• I can't believe that bastard cut me off in traffic.
• That guy is such a bastard, always causing trouble.
• The difficult math problem was a real bastard to solve.

noun a place where someone was born or where something originated

• The birthplace of democracy is often considered to be ancient Athens.
• I visited my friend's birthplace in the countryside last weekend.
• Yo, did you know that rapper's birthplace is actually in the same city as us?
• The small town where she grew up became her birthplace of creativity and inspiration.

noun a direct line of descent from an ancestor, especially in a noble family

adjective relating to or characteristic of a particular line of descent

• The royal family's bloodline can be traced back for centuries.
• She's always bragging about her prestigious bloodline.
• I heard he's from a long line of bloodline bosses.
• The passion for music runs deep in his bloodline.

noun a relative with whom a person shares one or more common ancestors

• My cousin is studying to become a doctor at a prestigious university.
• I'm meeting up with my cousin for lunch later today.
• My cousin is cool, we always have a blast hanging out together.
• In the world of business, competition can be like a distant cousin always trying to outdo you.

noun a person, plant, or animal that is descended from a particular ancestor

• The descendant of the royal family was expected to uphold certain traditions.
• She's a descendant of the original settlers in this town.
• I heard he's a descendant of the boss, that's why he got the promotion.
• The modern smartphone is considered a descendant of the first mobile phones.

noun ancestry or lineage

• The plane began its descent towards the airport.
• We started our descent down the mountain as the sun began to set.
• The party was lit, we were all on a wild descent into the night.
• His descent into madness was gradual, but unmistakable.

noun a stone that is placed at the head of a grave to mark the site

• The headstone was engraved with the deceased's name and dates of birth and death.
• We placed flowers on grandma's headstone for her birthday.
• I can't believe someone would vandalize a headstone like that.
• The abandoned building stood as a headstone of the city's once-thriving industrial past.

noun family members or relatives

• The family reunion was a gathering of all our kinfolk from near and far.
• I'm heading over to my kinfolk's place for a barbecue this weekend.
• My kinfolk and I are planning a road trip out west next month.
• In times of need, your friends can become your kinfolk.

noun a group of people related by blood or marriage

• The kinsmen gathered for a family reunion at the ancestral home.
• My kinsmen are coming over for a BBQ this weekend.
• Me and my kinsmen are hitting up the club tonight.
• In times of trouble, your friends can be like kinsmen who support you.

adjective relating to direct descent from an ancestor

• The lineal descent of the royal family can be traced back for centuries.
• My friend claims to be a direct lineal descendant of a famous historical figure.
• I heard that guy thinks he's all that just because he's lineal royalty.
• The artist's brush strokes created a lineal pattern that flowed seamlessly across the canvas.

noun a synonym for birthday

• On her natal day, she received many well-wishes from friends and family.
• We're throwing a party for his natal day next weekend.
• Let's celebrate your natal day with a bang!
• The company's anniversary can be considered its natal day in the business world.

noun a published obituary or a collection of obituaries

adjective relating to obituaries or the writing of obituaries

• The necrological service for the deceased will be held at the church.
• I heard the necrological ceremony is happening tomorrow.
• Let's skip the necrological and just remember our friend in our own way.
• The end of the project felt like a necrological for our team's hard work.

noun A son of one's sibling or half-sibling, or a son of one's spouse's sibling or half-sibling.

• My nephew is studying engineering at a prestigious university.
• I'm taking my nephew to the park this weekend.
• My nephew is such a cool dude, always up for an adventure.
• The new intern at work is like a nephew to me, I want to mentor and guide him.

noun used to refer to a person or thing that is no longer in existence or use

adjective describing a person or thing that has been alive or in existence for a long time

• The antique vase is very old and valuable.
• My grandma's house is really old but cozy.
• That car is so old, it's practically a dinosaur.
• The old ways of doing things are no longer effective in this modern world.

noun a person who is one-quarter black by descent.

• The historical term 'quadroon' was used to describe a person with one black grandparent.
• My great-grandmother was a quadroon, which is why I have some African heritage.
• Some people may use the term 'quadroon' in a derogatory manner, so it's important to be aware of its historical context.
• In literature, the character was often depicted as a quadroon, struggling with their identity and place in society.

noun a gathering of people who have been separated or have not seen each other for a long time

• The annual family reunion will take place next month.
• I can't wait for our high school reunion this weekend!
• The squad's reunion is gonna be lit!
• The reunion of old friends brought back a flood of memories.

noun a feeling of pity, distress, or grief for the suffering of others

• Ruth was known for her impeccable work ethic and attention to detail.
• I heard Ruth is throwing a party next weekend, are you going?
• Ruth is always on fleek with her outfits.
• The garden bloomed with the ruth of spring, bringing new life to the landscape.

noun a branch of a tribe

• The conference is scheduled for the first week of September.
• Let's plan a BBQ for the end of Sept.
• I can't wait for Sept to roll around so we can hit up the beach.
• In the cycle of seasons, Sept marks the beginning of autumn.

noun a mark, object, or other indication of the existence or passing of something

verb to find or discover by investigation

• The forensic team conducted extensive tracing of the suspect's movements at the crime scene.
• I'm tracing back our steps to see where we might have lost the keys.
• I'm tracing the IP address to find out who's been hacking into our system.
• She traced the origins of the ancient artifact to a small village in Greece.

adjective A well-bred person or animal is polite and has good manners as a result of being brought up in a good family or a good environment.

• The well-bred gentleman always displayed impeccable manners at social gatherings.
• She comes from a well-bred family, so she knows how to act in high society.
• That guy may act tough, but he's actually quite well-bred when it comes to etiquette.
• The well-bred roses in the garden added an air of sophistication to the landscape.

noun a sibling who is related to one another by one parent only

• My half sibling and I share one biological parent.
• My half sibling is only related to me through one parent.
• My half sib and I have the same mom but different dads.
• Having a half sibling is like having a built-in friend with a shared history.

noun a person's grandchild by marriage rather than by blood

• The family reunion included all the step-grandchildren from both sides of the family.
• My step-grandchild is coming over for the weekend, so I need to prepare some activities for us to do together.
• I never thought I'd be a step-grandparent at this age, but life is full of surprises.
• Being a step-grandparent has opened up a whole new chapter in my life, filled with love and joy.

noun a person's grandson or granddaughter by a previous marriage of a step-parent

• My step-grandson will be joining us for dinner tonight.
• I'm excited to hang out with my step-grandson later.
• My step-grandson is a cool dude.
• Watching my step-grandson grow up has been like witnessing a beautiful flower bloom.

noun a male parent of one's stepfather or stepmother

• My step-grandfather graciously offered to walk me down the aisle at my wedding.
• I'm going to visit my step-grandfather this weekend to catch up on old times.
• My step-grandfather is a cool dude, always cracking jokes and making everyone laugh.
• In the family tree of life, my step-grandfather is like a sturdy branch that provides support and wisdom.

noun a person's grandmother who is the stepmother of one of their parents

• My step-grandmother is a kind and generous woman who has always treated me like one of her own grandchildren.
• I'm going to visit my step-grandma this weekend, she always bakes the best cookies.
• My step-granny is the coolest, she's always up for a good time.
• In the family tree of my life, my step-grandmother is like a beautiful branch that adds more love and support.

noun a person's granddaughter by a step-parent

• My step-granddaughter is studying to become a lawyer.
• I love spending time with my step-granddaughter, she's so much fun!
• My step-granddaughter is a total boss babe.
• She may be my step-granddaughter, but she's like a real granddaughter to me.

noun the wife of one's stepson

• My stepdaughter-in-law is a wonderful addition to our family.
• I get along really well with my stepdaughter-in-law.
• My stepdaughter-in-law is cool, we hang out all the time.
• She may be my stepdaughter-in-law, but I see her as my own daughter.

noun a sister of one's grandparent

• My grandaunt is celebrating her 90th birthday next month.
• I'm going to visit my grandaunt this weekend.
• My grandaunt is the coolest old lady I know.
• She was like a grandaunt to me, always offering wise advice and support.

noun a female descendant who is the child of one's son or daughter-in-law

• My granddaughter-in-law is a talented artist who has her own gallery.
• I love spending time with my granddaughter-in-law, she's so much fun to be around.
• My granddaughter-in-law is a total boss babe, she runs her own successful business.
• She may not be my blood relative, but my granddaughter-in-law holds a special place in my heart.

noun a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance, or quality

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• My grandparents-in-law are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year.
• I'm going to visit my grandparents-in-law this weekend.
• I have the coolest grandparents-in-law ever!
• My grandparents-in-law are like the pillars of our family, always there to support us.

noun the name given to a person at birth, as opposed to a pseudonym or stage name

• The official documents required my birth name for verification purposes.
• I never really liked my birth name, so I go by a nickname instead.
• My birth name is so old-fashioned, I wish I had a cooler one.
• She left her birth name behind when she moved to the city, adopting a new identity.

verb to make someone or something illegitimate or inferior by mixing with something else

• It is important not to abastardize the original meaning of the text when translating it into another language.
• Don't abastardize the recipe by adding unnecessary ingredients.
• She abastardized the song by changing the lyrics to make it more catchy.
• The artist felt like he had abastardized his own style in order to appeal to a wider audience.

noun a male given name

• Abel was appointed as the new head of the department.
• Hey, have you met Abel? He's the new guy in accounting.
• Abel is such a cool dude, always down for a good time.
• His skills in negotiation are like Abel's, smooth and effective.

noun a male given name of Hebrew origin, meaning 'exalted father'

• Abram is a common Hebrew name often used in biblical contexts.
• Hey, have you met Abram? He's the new guy in accounting.
• Abram is the man! He always knows how to have a good time.
• In the game of chess, the Abram piece can move diagonally across the board.

noun a Latin phrase meaning 'to the fathers' or 'to the ancestors'

• The criminal was sentenced to death and was soon sent ad patres.
• The old car finally gave out and went ad patres.
• I heard that old rumor about him finally went ad patres.
• After a long battle with illness, he finally went ad patres.