cognation

C3O1G2N1A1T1I1O1N1
/kɒɡˈneɪʃən//kəɡˈneɪʃən/

noun

A cognate relationship.

Scrabble 12

Meanings

nouncognation (countable and uncountable, plural cognations)

plural cognations

  1. countableuncountablehuman sciencesA cognate relationship.

    This being the case, proof of cognation remains elusive even in the case of conspicuous lexical lookalikes.

    2014 October 18, Ante Aikio, “The Uralic-Yukaghir lexical correspondences: genetic inheritance, language contact or chance resemblance?”, in Finnisch-Ugrische Forschungen, volume 14, →DOI, page 41
    2 more examples

    […] these stones, I say, gratifie our sight, as having a nearer cognation with the Soul of Man, that is Rational and Intellectual, and therefore is well pleased when it meets with any outward Object that fits and agrees with those congenite Ideas her own nature is furnished with.

    1662, Henry More, An Antidote Against Atheism, Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 54

    Cowan (1957a, 1957b) has established the following CVC cognation percentages using for his 'Tami Group' only the languages classed by the present writer as constituting the Upper Tami Families.

    1971, Stephen A. Wurm, “The Papuan Linguistic Situation”, in J. D. Bowen, editor, Linguistics in Oceania (Current Trends In Linguistics; 5), Mouton, →LCCN, page 603

Synonyms & antonyms

nounline of descent traced through the maternal side of the family

Broader
unilateral descent

noun(anthropology) the condition of being related by blood

Similar
consanguinityblood kinship
Broader
kinshipfamily relationshiprelationship

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincognātiō
  2. Middle Englishcognacion
  3. Englishcognation

From Middle English cognacion, cognacioun, from Latin cognātiō; equivalent to cognate + -ion.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

cognation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cognation

MLA

“cognation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cognation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cognation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cognation.

Source: cognation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.