root noun ⇨family3 (my African roots)⇨source (the root of the problem)
family3
noun
a family of four四口之家the support of family and friends亲友的支持The painting has been in our family for generations.这幅画是我们家的传家宝。➡ See also the entry for ⇨ background另见background条family ♦︎ origin ♦︎ dynasty ♦︎ lineage ♦︎ blood ♦︎ descent ♦︎ ancestry ♦︎ birth ♦︎ pedigree ♦︎ roots ♦︎ parentageThese are words for all the people who are related to each other, including those who are dead.这些词均表示家族。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆by origin / descent / birth◆to be of noble, Scottish, etc. origin / lineage / blood / descent / ancestry / birth / pedigree / parentage◆ethnic / racial / social / cultural origin / descent / ancestry / pedigree / roots◆African, Scottish, Italian, etc. family / origin / lineage / blood / descent / ancestry / roots / parentage◆(of) humble / lowly family / origins / birth / roots◆(of) noble family / origins / lineage / blood / descent / ancestry / birth◆(of) unknown origin / descent / parentage◆middle-class / working-class / peasant family / origins / roots◆to trace your family / origin / lineage / ancestry / pedigree / roots■family [countable + singular or plural verb] all the people who are related to each other, including those who are now dead家族◆Some families have farmed in this area for hundreds of years.有些家族在这个地区务农有几百年了。◆This painting has been in our family for generations.这幅画是我们家的传家宝。◆How far back can you trace your family tree(= a diagram that shows the relationship between members of a family over a long period of time)?你的家谱可以追溯到多少代？◆Heart disease runs in the family.这个家庭很多人有心脏病。■origin [countable, uncountable] ( origins [plural]) a person's social and family background身世；出身◆children of various ethnic origins各族裔的儿童◆people of German origin德裔民众◆a person's country of origin(= where they were born)某人的出生国◆She has risen from humble origins to immense wealth.她出身卑微，终成巨富。 see also origin ⇨ source■dynasty / /ˈdɪnəsti; NAmEˈdaɪnəsti/ [countable] a series of rulers of a country who all belong to the same family; a period of years during which members of a particular family rule a country王朝；朝代；朝；代◆the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty尼赫鲁—甘地王朝◆a Ming dynasty vase一只明代花瓶◆Eventually the dynasty was overthrown, and the country became a Republic.王朝最终被推翻，该国成为共和国。▸dynastic /dɪˈnæstɪk; NAmEdaɪˈnæstɪk/
adjective
[usually before noun] ◆dynastic history王朝统治史■lineage /ˈlɪniɪdʒ/ / [uncountable, countable] (formal) the series of families that sb is descended from, especially when these are families of high social position that go back a long way in history（尤指历史悠久、社会地位高的）世系，宗系，血统◆a French nobleman of ancient lineage出身于古老世家的法国贵族 see also line ⇨ series■blood [uncountable] (ratherformal) family origins血统；家世；出身◆She is of noble blood.她有贵族血统。◆There is some Polish blood on his father's side.他父亲一方有波兰血统。■descent / /dɪˈsent/ / [uncountable] (ratherformal) family origins血统；家世；出身◆people of West Indian descent祖籍西印度群岛的民众◆He traces his line of descent from the Stuart kings.他的家族可追溯到斯图亚特王朝。■ancestry / /ˈænsestri/ / [countable, usually singular, uncountable] (ratherformal) family origins血统；家世；出身◆His eyes owed their startling blueness to his Irish ancestry.爱尔兰祖先给了他一双碧蓝的眼睛。◆He was able to trace his ancestry back over 1 000 years.他可追祖溯宗至一千多年前。▸ancestor
noun
[countable] ◆His ancestors had come to America from Ireland.他的祖先从爱尔兰来到美国。◆a reptile that was the common ancestor of lizards and turtles作为蜥蜴和龟的共同始祖的一种爬行动物OPPdescendant ⇨ sonNOTE辨析 Blood, descent or ancestry?These are all rather formal ways of talking about sb's family origins. You trace your descent from sb, starting in the past and coming forward to the present; you trace your ancestry back to sb, starting with yourself and working back. Blood is used especially to emphasize either the high social position of sb's family, or the fact that sb is descended from a number of different families in different places.这些词均为描述某人的血统、家世颇为正式的用语。trace one's descent from sb指对家世的追溯，从过去开始直至现在；trace one's ancestry back to sb指从自己开始回溯至先祖。blood尤用以强调某人的家族社会地位崇高，或强调某人的血统源自不同地域的几个不同家族◆of noble blood有贵族血统◆of mixed Chinese and Portuguese blood华裔和葡萄牙裔混血◆some Polish blood on his father's side他父系的波兰血统■birth [uncountable] a person's origin or the social position of their family, especially when this is different from their current situation, or when they are of high social position（尤指与现在不同的或高贵的）出身，门第◆Anne was French by birth but lived most of her life in Italy.安妮在血统上是法国人，但大部分时间住在意大利。◆a woman of noble birth出身贵族的女子■pedigree / /ˈpedɪgriː/ / [countable, uncountable] a person's family history or the background of sth, especially when this is impressive（尤指显赫的）家史，门第，世系◆She was proud of her long pedigree.她为自己源远流长的家世而自豪。◆The product has a pedigree going back to the last century.该产品的渊源可追溯到上个世纪。■roots [plural] the feelings or connections that you have with a place because you have lived there or your family came from there根（指与出生地或原籍相关的情感或联系）◆I'm proud of my African roots.我为我的非洲血统感到骄傲。◆After 20 years in America, I still feel my roots are in Ireland.尽管在美国生活了20年，我还是觉得我的根在爱尔兰。 see also root ⇨ source■parentage /ˈpeərəntɪdʒ; NAmEˈperəntɪdʒ/ [uncountable] the origin of a person's parents and who they are出身；世系；家世◆a young American of German parentage一个年轻的德裔美国人◆Nothing is known about her parentage and background.她的家世和来历不明。
source
noun
source ♦︎ cause ♦︎ origin ♦︎ root ♦︎ starting point ♦︎ beginningsThese are all words for the point that sth starts from.这些词均表示来源、起源、起因。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆(a) common source / cause / origin / roots / starting point◆a possible / natural source / cause / origin / starting point◆the real source / cause / origin / roots / beginnings◆the true / obscure source / cause / origin / beginnings◆a / an known / unknown source / cause / origin◆to have a source / a cause / origins / roots / a starting point / beginnings◆to identify the source / cause / origin / starting point / beginnings of sth◆to find the source / cause / origin / root / starting point of sth◆to locate / discover / investigate / trace the source / cause / origin / roots of sth■source [countable] a place, person or thing that you get sth from来源；出处◆We need to obtain more energy from renewable sources.我们需要从可再生资源中获取更多能源。◆Your local library will be a useful source of information.你们当地的图书馆将是很好的资料来源。◆The tiny window was the only source of light.那扇小窗户是唯一的光源。■cause [countable] the thing or person that makes sth happen原因；起因◆Unemployment is a major cause of poverty.失业是贫困的主要原因。◆There was discussion about the fire and its likely cause.对那场火灾及其可能的起因有过讨论。◆He died of natural causes.他是自然死亡的。 see also cause ⇨ causeverb■origin [countable, uncountable] ( origins [plural]) (especiallywritten) the point from which sth starts; the first or early ideas, signs or stages of sth起源；源头；原始阶段◆The origin of the word remains obscure.该词的来源尚不清楚。◆Most coughs are viral in origin(= caused by a virus).咳嗽大多是由病毒引发的。◆Bottles are labelled by country of origin.那些瓶子上贴有原产国标签。◆The TV series examines the origins of life on earth.这个电视系列节目探究地球上生命的起源。◆This particular custom has its origins in Wales.这种特殊风俗起源于威尔士。■root [countable] (especiallywritten) the main cause of sth, such as a problem or difficult situation; the origin or basis of sth（问题、困境等的）根源；起源；根基◆We have to get to the root of the problem.我们必须找到问题的根源。◆What lies at the root of his troubles is a sense of insecurity.他的一切忧虑源于一种不安全感。◆What would you say was the root cause of the problem?你认为问题的根本原因是什么？◆The two languages share a common root.这两种语言同源。◆Flamenco has its roots in Arabic music.弗拉门科舞曲起源于阿拉伯音乐。NOTE辨析 Origins or root?In some cases you can use either word.在有些情况下这两个词可以通用◆The custom has its origins / roots in Wales.这种风俗起源于威尔士。Both words can mean 'cause' but in slightly different ways: use root to talk about the cause of a problem.二者都可表示原因、起因，但用法稍有区别。root指问题的起因◆We have to get to the origin of the problem.Use origin to talk about when, where and how sth started. * origin指某事在何时、何地及如何开始◆the origin of life / species / the universe生命／物种／宇宙的起源◆the roots of life/species/the universeThe word roots can often suggest an emotional or cultural attachment; the word origins is more scientific. It is usual to talk about sb's social origins(= the social class they came from and the jobs their parents did)but their cultural roots(= the beliefs and customs of people in the family or place that they came from). * roots常有感情或文化色彩，origins则更具科学性。通常说某人的social origins（社会出身），但说他们的cultural roots（文化根源）。 see also origin,roots ⇨ family3■ˈstarting point [countable] a thing, idea or set of facts that can be used to begin a discussion or process（讨论或过程的）起点，基础◆The TV documentary served as a useful starting point for our discussion.这部电视纪录片成了我们讨论的有益起点。◆They reached the same conclusion from different starting points.他们的结论殊途同归。ⓘ Starting point is often used after positive adjectives such asconvenient, good, suitable and useful. * starting point常用在有积极意义的形容词后面，如convenient、good、suitable和useful。■beginnings [plural] (especiallywritten) the first or early ideas, signs or stages of sth原始构想；初始阶段◆Did democracy have its beginnings in ancient Greece?民主制度创始于古希腊吗？◆From these small beginnings it grew into the vast company we know today.这公司从这些小本生意起步，发展成为我们今天所知道的大公司。ⓘ Beginnings is usually used in the phrase sth had its beginnings in...or to describe how sth has changed from beginnings that were humble, modest, simple or small. * beginnings通常用在短语sth had its beginnings in ...中，或用humble、modest、simple或small修饰，表示事物如何发展起来。