Pedigree
/ˈpɛd.ɪ.ɡriː/noun
A record of descent or ancestry, especially of a person, animal, or family line.
Did you know?Pedigree entered English from a French phrase for a genealogical diagram, and its exact deeper origin is debated, but the earliest forms likely refer to the three-pronged mark used in tracing descent rather than any mystical bloodline.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-16th Century
Old French
ped de grue
“literally 'crane's foot,' used for a branching mark or diagram”
16th Century
Middle English
pedegreu / pedigrue
“a genealogy or line of descent”
16th Century
English
pedigree
“a record or chart of ancestry”
Modern English
English
pedigree
“a documented line of descent, especially in breeding or family history”