English
genealogy
Genealogy comes from Ancient Greek γενεαλογία, from γενεά ‘generation, descent’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- ‘to produce’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵenh₁-‘to produce’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵénh₁os‘race, lineage’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵenh₁eseh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*genehā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγενεά‘generation, descent’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEγενεαλογίαgenealogía
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEgenealogia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400genealogie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500genealogie
- Englishearliest quotation 2004genealogy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵenh₁-‘to produce’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵénh₁os‘race, lineage’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵenh₁eseh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*genehā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγενεά‘generation, descent’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEγενεαλογίαgenealogía
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEgenealogia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400genealogie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500genealogie
- Englishearliest quotation 2004genealogy
Earliest quotation: 2004, Bill Gladstone, The oldest family in the world: “The book significantly extends on Rosenstein’s monumental 1990 work,…”
Formed from γενεά + -logy
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- ‘to produce’
kind, king, nature, nation, german, native, pregnant, engine, ken, genius, indigenous, genuine, genetic, gentle, naive, kin, transgender, noel, innate, genesis, regeneration, natal, nativity, nada, naïve, ingenious, germ, janata, nee, genital, nascent, degenerate, puny, degeneration, regenerate, gentile, jaunty, cognate, gens, gingerly, 99 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os ‘race, lineage’
general, generation, gender, oxygen, genre, generate, generous, genuinely, generic, genocide, hydrogen, genus, generosity, generative, glycogen, estrogenic, 25 more
Today it means
noun The descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or ancestors; lineage or pedigree.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- / genealogy