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matrilinear

adj. based on or tracing descent through the female line; "matrilineal inheritance" [syn: matrilineal]

Usage examples of "matrilinear".

And you're likely to end up with a matrilinear culture in that instance—and a very small directorate if it's by kinships.

The merchanters, the faster-than-light freighters, are huge ships, some of the largest being veritable spacefaring villages run by a hierachy of captains, one for each shift, and are matrilinear (but not matriarchal) due to the lifestyle.