consanguinity
Americannoun
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relationship by descent from a common ancestor; kinship (distinguished from affinity).
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close relationship or connection.
noun
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relationship by blood; kinship
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close affinity or connection
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geology (of igneous rocks) similarity of origin, as shown by common mineral and chemical compositions and often texture
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of consanguinity
1350–1400; Middle English consanguinite (< Anglo-French ) < Latin consanguinitās. See consanguineous, -ity
Explanation
The noun consanguinity means "relation by blood," so if you want to dazzle your brother, point out that consanguinity isn't the only reason you hang out with him — he's also a great guy! Consanguinity comes from the Latin com- "together" and sanguineus "of blood," which itself can be traced back even farther, to the early 14th century when the Old French word sanguin (fem. sanguine) meant "a type of red cloth." So blood gets its name from the vivid red color it matches, and consanguinity describes the people who, as family members, share the same blood.
Vocabulary lists containing consanguinity
The Declaration of Independence
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"The Declaration of Independence," Vocabulary from the historical document
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"The Declaration of Independence" by Thomas Jefferson
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While the Himba population has historically exhibited a preference for consanguinity, Henn and Swinford were surprised to find that none of the individuals in their sample population had parents who were actually first cousins.
From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023
"In general terms, our studies have shown that the health risks attributed to consanguinity have been exaggerated."
From Salon • Sep. 11, 2022
It’s a wise choice, in keeping with the overall tone of a story about adolescents held together by a cultivated consanguinity.
From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2020
Through fandom, he built a life, a family, and a community not around consanguinity, but around the heart.
From Slate • Jun. 30, 2012
After everything she had done to atone for her crime, after she had turned her marriage into an arctic wasteland and allowed a surgeon to tie her fallopian tubes, consanguinity wasn’t finished with her.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
