gnealogy -
n. (pl. -ies)
1 a a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor. b an account or exposition of this.
2 the study
and investigation of lines of descent.
3 a plant's or animal's line of development from earlier forms.
genealogist n. genealogize v.tr. & intr. (also -ise). [ME f. OF genealogie f. LL genealogia f. Gk genealogia f. genea race]