Definition

Noun: 1. The identity and origins of one's parents; family lineage or descent. Refers specifically to who a person's parents are and their social or biological background. 2. The state or condition of being a parent; parenthood. Refers to the role or status of being a father or mother.

Examples of Usage

• Referring to lineage:
  • The child was of noble parentage. (The child's parents were from a noble family.)
  • Her parentage is a mystery; she was adopted as an infant. (The identity of her biological parents is unknown.)
• Referring to the state of being a parent:
  • The responsibilities of parentage are significant. (The duties that come with being a parent are considerable.)

Advanced Usage

• "of unknown parentage": used to describe a person, animal, or sometimes a thing whose parents or origins are not known.
  • The stray dog was of unknown parentage.
• "to establish parentage": a legal or biological term for determining who the parents of a child are.
  • A DNA test was used to establish paternity and confirm the child's parentage.

Variants and Related Words

• Parent (n): a father or mother.
• Parenthood (n): the state of being a parent. (Note: This is a close synonym for the second meaning of "parentage," but "parenthood" more strongly emphasizes the experience and condition, while "parentage" can emphasize origin.)
• Lineage (n): lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry. (A close synonym for the first meaning of "parentage.")

Synonyms

• Ancestry: one's family or ethnic descent.
• Descent: the origin or background of a person in terms of family or nationality.
• Origins: the point or place where something begins or is derived.

Related Phrases

• Question of parentage: a doubt or inquiry about who someone's parents are.
  • There was never any question of his parentage; he was the spitting image of his father.

Noun

1. the descendants of one individual
   • his entire lineage has been warriors
2. the kinship relation of an offspring to the parents
3. the state of being a parent
   • to everyone's surprise, parenthood reformed the man