The lineage of a word is called its
a. synonym
c. antonym
b. etymology
d. anthropology

The answer is letter B, etymology.

Etymology refers to the way in which origins of words are traced back.  Words change their meanings through the course of time, this is why learning its history and its lineage is important in the process of etymology.  Language, just like our physical bodies, evolves through time and they may sometimes depend on the historical events that occur within specific areas. People adapt to these events and coin words based on their experiences.