agnate

[ ag-neyt ]
See synonyms for: agnateagnates on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a relative whose connection is traceable exclusively through males.

  2. any male relation on the father's side.

adjective
  1. related or akin through males or on the father's side.

  2. allied or akin.

Origin of agnate

1
First recorded in 1450–1500; from Latin agnātus “paternal kinsman,” variant of ad(g)nātus “born to” (past participle of adgnāscī ), equivalent to ad- ad- + -gnā “be born” + -tus past participle suffix

Other words from agnate

  • ag·nat·ic [ag-nat-ik], /ægˈnæt ɪk/, ag·nat·i·cal, adjective
  • ag·nat·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • ag·na·tion [ag-ney-shuhn], /ægˈneɪ ʃən/, noun

Words Nearby agnate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use agnate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for agnate

agnate

/ (ˈæɡneɪt) /


adjective
  1. related by descent from a common male ancestor

  2. related in any way; cognate

noun
  1. a male or female descendant by male links from a common male ancestor

Origin of agnate

1
C16: from Latin agnātus born in addition, added by birth, from agnāsci, from ad- in addition + gnāsci to be born

Derived forms of agnate

  • agnatic (æɡˈnætɪk), adjective
  • agnation, noun

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