What term describes a descent system traced through the mother's line?

• A. Patrilineal
• B. Bilineal
• C. Matrilineal
• D. Ambilineal

Answer: (C)

Matrilineal describes descent traced through the mother's line. In this system, a person belongs to their mother's clan, and lineage or inheritance is passed along the female line rather than the male line. This is different from patrilineal descent, which follows the father's line, and from ambilineal or bilineal patterns, where descent can be traced through one or both parental lines. So, the term that fits “descent system traced through the mother's line” is matrilineal.