agnation

9.9

A family line traced only through the male side

noun
/æɡˈneɪʃən/

Specialized

: agnación

In some cultures, inheritance follows the principle of agnation, passing only through the male descendants.

Examples

The royal family's agnation determined who would next take the throne.
Anthropologists study both agnation and cognation to understand family structures.
The concept of agnation is important in many cultures.
In his family, agnation determines inheritance rights.
In some cultures, inheritance follows the principle of agnation, passing only through the male descendants.
The royal family's agnation determined who would next take the throne.
In his family, agnation determines inheritance rights.

Synonyms

gens

vsagnation

Specialized

1 9.9

A family group in ancient Rome that shared one name and claim they come from one male ancestor

is the general kinship line through men, not a specific Roman clan

patrilineage

vsagnation

Specialized

9.9

A family line that follows male ancestors on the father's side

is the same idea used here for exclusive male descent

patriliny

vsagnation

Specialized

9.9

A system where family descent and property pass down the father's line

is the line of descent itself rather than a social system

Antonyms

cognation

Specialized

9.9

A family line that follows the mother's side

Surface Forms

agnation singular

agnations plural

Morphology

agnation = agnate (opaque) = agnate + ion

Formed from the rare learned word 'agnate' plus the nominalizing suffix '-ion'; the term is specialized and not derivable by an average B1 learner from its components.

Etymology

Agnation comes from an old Latin root natus meaning 'born', the same idea in English words like natal and native. It named family links that are 'born' on the father's side, so agnation today means a family line traced only through the male or 'father's side'.