Meanings
plural agnations
- countableuncountableconsanguinity by a line of males only, as distinguished from cognation
Between an uncle and his sister's son, therefore, there is no agnation, but only kinship
1803, William Alexander Hunter, A Systematic and Historical Exposition of Roman Law in the Order of a Code1 more example
Furthermore, for reasons that will by now be obvious, interhouse relations represent a paradigm for the politics of agnation at large: any competition for influence or position among patrilateral kin is, in essence, a rivalry between houses produced by a shared ancestor and reproduced across the generations, and particular units, whether or not they take the initiative in such processes, are ultimately drawn into their purview (see chap. 2).
1986, John L. Comaroff, Simon Roberts, Rules and Processes, →ISBN, page 226 - countableuncountablegrammarThe property of being agnate.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounline of descent traced through the paternal side of the family
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinagnatio
- Englishagnation
Learned borrowing from Latin agnatio. Compare French agnation.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French agnation
- agnationconsanguinity by a line of males
Polish agnacja, agnatyzm
- agnacjaconsanguinity by a line of males
- agnatyzmconsanguinity by a line of males
Portuguese agnação
- agnaçãoconsanguinity by a line of males
Romanian agnațiune
- agnațiuneconsanguinity by a line of males
Spanish agnación
- agnaciónconsanguinity by a line of males
Cite this entry
agnation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/agnation
“agnation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/agnation. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “agnation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/agnation.
Source: agnation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.