1. relationship by blood; kinship through a common ancestor on either the mother's or father's side
Usage: formal; legal/genealogical context
2. a group of people related by blood; relatives
Usage: formal; anthropological

Examples

• The lawyer traced the cognation between the two families to establish inheritance rights.
• In many cultures, cognation determines which relatives have legal claims to property.
• She studied the cognation patterns of the indigenous tribe for her anthropology thesis.
• The will specified that only those in direct cognation with the deceased could inherit.
• Cognation through the maternal line was recognized equally with paternal descent in their society.