Bloodline
/ˈblʌd.laɪn/noun
A line of descent from a common ancestor; ancestry or lineage.
Did you know?Bloodline is a transparent English compound, and while it has no occult origin, it taps into one of humanity’s oldest obsessions: tracing power, identity, and destiny through ancestry.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“To swell, bloom, or flash; the ancient root behind words for blazing color and brightness.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhlo- / *bhlod-
“A reconstructed ancestor of Germanic blood-related forms, ultimately yielding the word for blood.”
Old English
English
blōd
“Blood; the red bodily fluid.”
Old English
English
līn
“Line, string, row, or course.”
Middle English
English
blod + line
“A line of descent or ancestry, literally a blood line.”
Modern English
English
bloodline
“A person’s descent from a common ancestor, especially as traced through family heritage.”