[a. Fr. agnation, ad. L. agnātiōn-em, n. of action f. agnāsci: see AGNATE.]
1. Relationship through the male line; descent from a common male ancestor through male links alone, as recognized in the Salic law.
1611. Guillim, Heraldry, 255/1. The Agnation (which is of the Fathers side) must be preserued entire.
1861. Maine, Anc. Law, v. 149. The foundation of Agnation is not the Marriage of Father and Mother, but the authority of the Father.
1880. Muirhead, Gaius, I. § 156. There is no agnation between a mother’s brother and her son,—only cognation.
2. Descent from a common male ancestor, even though female links have intervened; distinguished from cognation or descent from the same mother, which may or may not include agnation.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., This difference was abolished by Justinian (Inst. 3. 10) and the females were reinstated in the right of Agnation … hence cognation came to take in all the relations of the mother as well as father; and Agnation to be restrained to those of the father alone.
3. fig. Kinship by descent.
1782. Pownall, Study Antiq., 168 (T.). A much greater agnation may be found amongst all the languages in the northern hemisphere of our globe.
