pedigree

noun

ped·i·gree ˈpe-də-ˌgrē

Synonyms of pedigree

: a register recording a line of ancestors

The pedigree traces the family back to the 18th century.

: an ancestral line : lineage

That horse has an impressive pedigree.

: the origin and the history of something

Democracy's pedigree stretches back to ancient Greece.

broadly : background, history

: a distinguished ancestry

Actions spoke louder than pedigrees in the trenches.—Dixon Wecter

: the recorded purity of breed of an individual or strain

vouch for a horse's pedigree

pedigreed

ˈpe-də-ˌgrēd

adjective

or pedigree

Examples of pedigree in a Sentence

That horse has an impressive pedigree. What is the dog's pedigree? The puppy came with papers proving its pedigree. Democracy is an idea with a pedigree stretching back to ancient Greece. The company has an excellent pedigree with over a century in the business.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The new acquisitions come with strong awards and festival pedigree. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 American breeders began registering Holstein pedigrees and maintaining herdbooks in the 1800s. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026 Given Iñárritu’s pedigree, the film seemed poised to be prime Oscar bait. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2026 Despite a pedigree that includes work in the permanent collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Hammer Museum, Herman remains resolutely modest and insatiably curious. — Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pedigree

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pedegru, from Anglo-French pé de grue, literally, crane's foot; from the shape made by the lines of a genealogical chart

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of pedigree was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pedigree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedigree. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pedigree

noun

ped·i·gree ˈped-ə-ˌgrē

: a table or list showing the line of ancestors of a person or animal

: an ancestral line : lineage

: purity of breed recorded by a pedigree

pedigreed

-ˌgrēd

adjective

Medical Definition

pedigree

noun

ped·i·gree ˈped-ə-ˌgrē

: a record of the ancestry of an individual

the pedigree of a diabetic patient

pedigree

noun

Synonyms of pedigree

Examples of pedigree in a Sentence

Word History

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Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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