/ Dictionary / Index P patriliny: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: pat•ri•li•ny Pronunciation: (pa'tru-lī"nē, pā'-), [key] — pl. -nies. the tracing of descent exclusively through the male members of a family. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. patrilinear patrilocal Related Content Daily Word Quiz: fervor Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language