parentage
/pˈɛɹəntədʒ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.84 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The identity and nature of one's parents, and in particular, the legitimacy of one's birth.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "I am a Lord, for so my deedes ſhall prooue, And yet a ſhepheard by my Parentage: […]"
- "English gentlemen, after all, do not discriminate against each other on the grounds of parentage, only of breeding."
- "Annabel was, like the writer, of mixed parentage: half-English, half-Dutch, in her case. I remember her features far less distinctly today than I did a few years ago, before I knew Lolita."
- "My fortunes parentage — good parentage — To equal mine! — was it not thus? What say you?"
- "Mr. Worthington. Second son. We shall find better. He is of dubious parentage."
Etymology
From Middle French, from Old French parentage.