That's not -exactly- accurate...Whatever... race or lineage is exactly the same mechanic. It is just a change of word. I prefer "race" but for some the out of game context makes that word offensive. So lineage is as good as any but the mechanic will be same nonetheless.
Lineages are "Special Races". They function as a template that you apply to a character of any race.
Been playing a Half-Orc Fighter for a couple months and he gets killed? Talk to your DM about applying the "Reborn" template to that character. He loses some of his Half-Orc stuff, but is back on his feet. Got killed by a Vampire? So apply the Dhampir template and the Half-Orc stands back up.
Still 6'3" and 260lbs of Muscle. Still with darkvision and pointy ears and tusks. But now he's a Reborn Half-Orc.
You can make that Reborn Half-Orc at level 1, or get the template applied later. There's nothing else like that in 5e. Even Reincarnate doesn't work that way, and you get brought back as someone else entirely.