# genealogical

/ˌdʒiniɑˈɫɔdʒɪkəɫ/ (US) · /dʒˌiːnɪˈælˈɒdʒɪkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/genealogical
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. family history

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

relating to the study of family history and the line of ancestors that a person comes from.

For teachers: relating to the study or investigation of ancestry and family histories.

- She spent years doing genealogical research to find out where her great-grandparents lived.
- The archive contains extensive genealogical records, including birth certificates and ship manifests dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.

Usage: Usually precedes the noun it modifies, such as 'research', 'records', or 'tree'.

### 2. linguistic or biological descent

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical · Academic

describing how languages or species are related because they come from the same original group.

For teachers: relating to the shared membership in a linguistic family or the genetic relationships among individuals within a species.

- Scientists looked at the genealogical links between different types of birds in the region.
- Historical linguists use the comparative method to establish genealogical relationships between languages that share a common ancestor.

Usage: Used in biology and linguistics to denote descent from a common source rather than shared characteristics.

## Examples

- She spent years doing genealogical research on her family.
- The local library offers access to genealogical records that help residents trace their family trees back several centuries.
- Advances in DNA testing have revolutionised genealogical studies, allowing individuals to confirm biological connections that traditional paper records may have obscured or omitted entirely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.