parentage

From Middle French, from Old French parentage.

parentage (countable and uncountable, plural parentages)

1. The identity and nature of one's parents, and in particular, the legitimacy of one's birth.
   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:

     I am a Lord, for so my deedes ſhall prooue,
     And yet a ſhepheard by my Parentage: […]

   • 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:

     English gentlemen, after all, do not discriminate against each other on the grounds of parentage, only of breeding.

2. The social quality of one's class in society.
   • 1608, Shakespeare, Pericles, act 5, scene 1:

     My fortunes parentage — good parentage — To equal mine! — was it not thus? What say you?

3. (figurative) Origin; derivation.

• mixed parentage

• parentship
• parentdom

• pageanter

parent +‎ -age

parentage oblique singular, m (oblique plural parentages, nominative singular parentages, nominative plural parentage)

1. bloodline, heritage

   Jeo sui de bon parentage - I am of noble birth

• parenté