English Reference
Noun

parentage

n.
C1 Advanced US /ˈpɛɹəntədʒ/ UK /pˈeəɹəntɪdʒ/ parent·age UK spelling parentages

n.the fact of being a parent or the relationship between a child and their parents. It can also mean the origin or source of something.

n.the state or condition of being a parent; the relationship between a child and their biological or adoptive parents. Also refers to the origin or source of something, such as a tradition or a piece of art.


SIMPLE

The child's parentage was a mystery for many years.

CONTEXTUAL

The museum's collection includes several paintings whose parentage remains a subject of intense debate among art historians.

COMPLEX

While the legal parentage of the heir was established through a formal adoption, the emotional bond with the biological family remained a significant source of tension throughout his life.

The plot twist – a feature of scholarly speculation since 1937, Harris’s afterword tells us – concerns the real parentage of the apparently low-born Agrippa.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

From Middle French, from Old French parentage.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated