Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "layin jini" yana nufin layin kwayoyin halitta ko zuriyar wani dangi ko rukuni na mutane, tun daga tsararraki. Hakanan yana iya komawa ga halaye, halaye, ko iyawar da aka gada ta hanyar zuriyar iyali. A wasu mahallin, ana kuma iya amfani da kalmar don kwatanta tsattsauran jinsin dabba ko zuriyar dabba.
