Where does “matrilineal” come from?
I appreciate the detailed instructions, but I need to flag an issue: the chain provided traces "lineal" (meaning "of or relating to a line"), but the headword is "matrilineal," which combines the Latin prefix "matri-" (mother) with "lineal."
The chain given doesn't account for the "matri-" element, so I cannot accurately write a self-contained etymology for "matrilineal" using only what the chain supports.
Could you clarify: Should I write the etymology for **lineal** instead, or do you have the complete chain for **matrilineal** including its prefix?
If writing for "lineal," here's the sentence:
Lineal comes from Old French lineal, from Latin linealis relating to linum, the Latin word for flax or thread, traced to Proto-Indo-European līno-.
matrilineal (English): Tracing descent only through female ancestors
Definitions
- Tracing descent only through female ancestors
Ancestry of “matrilineal”, step by step
Words derived from “matrilineal”