matrilineal
matrilineal
Adjective
This term is primarily used in anthropological, sociological, and historical contexts to describe kinship systems. It carries a technical, academic register and is rarely used in casual conversation unless discussing genealogy or cultural studies.
It stands in direct contrast to patrilineal, which traces descent through the male line. While matrilineal refers specifically to the line of descent and inheritance, it should not be confused with matriarchal, which refers to a social system governed by women. A society can be matrilineal in its inheritance laws without being a matriarchy in its political power structure.