matrilineal
or mat·ri·lin·e·ar
[ ma-truh-lin-ee-uh l, mey- ]
/ ˌmæ trəˈlɪn i əl, ˌmeɪ- /
adjective
inheriting or determining descent through the female line.
Compare
patrilineal.
OTHER WORDS FROM matrilineal
mat·ri·lin·e·al·ly, mat·ri·lin·e·ar·ly, adverbWords nearby matrilineal
matriculate,
matriculation,
matrifocal,
matrilateral,
matrilineage,
matrilineal,
matriliny,
matrilocal,
matrimonial,
matrimony,
matrimony vine
Example sentences from the Web for matrilinear
British Dictionary definitions for matrilinear
matrilineal
/ (ˌmætrɪˈlɪnɪəl, ˌmeɪ-) /
adjective
relating to descent or kinship through the female line
Derived forms of matrilineal
matrilineally, adverbMedical definitions for matrilinear
matrilineal
[ măt′rə-lĭn′ē-əl ]
adj.
Relating to, based on, or tracing ancestral descent through the maternal line.
Cultural definitions for matrilinear
matrilineal
[ (mat-ruh-lin-ee-uhl) ]
Tracing kinship and descent through the female line. (Compare patrilineal.)