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agnate (AG-nayt) - n., a paternal relative; esp. one related to only through male-line descent. adj., to be related paternally or through male-line descent.
In cultures where family identity is through paternal descent only, agnate relationships in the more restrictive sense are important. As you might guess from the etymology, the Romans were one such culture: borrowed around 1530 from Latin agnātus, paternal kinsman, past participle of adgnāscī, to be born to, from ad- in the sense of toward or in addition to + nāscī, to be born.
---L.
In cultures where family identity is through paternal descent only, agnate relationships in the more restrictive sense are important. As you might guess from the etymology, the Romans were one such culture: borrowed around 1530 from Latin agnātus, paternal kinsman, past participle of adgnāscī, to be born to, from ad- in the sense of toward or in addition to + nāscī, to be born.
---L.
