pedigree
noun
ped·i·gree
ˈpe-də-ˌgrē 
1
: a register recording a line of ancestors
The pedigree traces the family back to the 18th century.
2
a
: an ancestral line : lineage
That horse has an impressive pedigree.
b
: the origin and the history of something
Democracy's pedigree stretches back to ancient Greece.
broadly
: background, history
3
a
: a distinguished ancestry
actions spoke louder than pedigrees in the trenches—
Dixon Wecter
Dixon Wecter
b
: the recorded purity of breed of an individual or strain
vouch for a horse's pedigree
Synonyms
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
There isn't a great pedigree of performers behind me.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Yet even a pumpkin with a prize-winning pedigree won’t reach its full size unless it’s managed well.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2024
In Tuchel, the FA has turned to an experienced coach with a winning pedigree.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
And so William Dean Howells began his 1860 campaign biography of Abraham Lincoln by mocking the search for a Revolutionary pedigree for Presidential candidates and situating Lincoln in the antislavery West, in contrast to the resigned and too-knowing East.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pedigree 
Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Yet even a pumpkin with a prize-winning pedigree won’t reach its full size unless it’s managed well.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2024
In Tuchel, the FA has turned to an experienced coach with a winning pedigree.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
And so William Dean Howells began his 1860 campaign biography of Abraham Lincoln by mocking the search for a Revolutionary pedigree for Presidential candidates and situating Lincoln in the antislavery West, in contrast to the resigned and too-knowing East.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pedigree
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pedigree.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pedigree
Cite this Entry
“Pedigree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedigree. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pedigree
noun
ped·i·gree
ˈped-ə-ˌgrē
1
: a table or list showing the line of ancestors of a person or animal
2
: an ancestral line : lineage
3
: purity of breed recorded by a pedigree
Medical Definition
pedigree
noun
ped·i·gree
ˈped-ə-ˌgrē
: a record of the ancestry of an individual
the pedigree of a diabetic patient
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share