1. Plural of agnation; relatives connected through the father's line; paternal kinship.
Usage: formal; legal/historical context; contrasts with cognation (kinship through either parent)

Examples

• In Roman law, agnations determined inheritance rights and family authority.
• The distinction between agnations and cognations was crucial in medieval property succession.
• Agnations traced descent exclusively through male ancestors.
• Legal systems historically prioritized agnations over other forms of kinship.
• The concept of agnations reflects patrilineal family structures in ancient societies.