matriline

M3A1T1R1I1L1I1N1E1

noun

A line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are mothers.

Similar
motherlinemother's line
Opposite
patriline
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounmatriline (plural matrilines)

plural matrilines

  1. A line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are mothers.

    Synonyms: motherline, mother's line · Antonyms: patriline

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are mothers.

Similar
motherlinemother's line
Opposite
patriline
Also see
matrilineal lineagemotherline

Origin

Borrowed from Latin mater (“mother”) + linea (“line”). By surface analysis, matri- + line.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

almitrine
Cite this entry
APA

matriline. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matriline

MLA

“matriline.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matriline. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “matriline,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matriline.

Source: matriline on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.