noun
- plural of matrilineage; lines of descent traced through mothers rather than fathers, or groups of relatives connected through female ancestors.
Usage: anthropology; used in kinship studies and cultural analysis
Examples
- In matrilineal societies, matrilineages determine inheritance and social status.
- The anthropologist studied several matrilineages within the indigenous community.
- Children belong to their mother's matrilineages in this culture.
- Matrilineages are central to understanding kinship systems in many African societies.
- The research compared patrilineages and matrilineages across different regions.