Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A line of descent traced through the paternal side of a family.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a line of descent from a male ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are fathers.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin: pater: father + linea: line.

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