Cognate

Cognate Definition

Cognate is an anthropological term used to describe a system of kinship in which relationships between people are established through either the male or the female line. It relates to the tracing of descent, specifically denoting descent that is not unilineal, meaning ancestry is traced through both male and female links rather than solely through one gender.

Descent and Kinship

The term is often used in relation to descent groups, indicating that a relationship exists with a common ancestor who can be traced bilaterally, following both the male and female lines. This contrasts with unilineal descent systems where lineage is traced exclusively through either the father’s or the mother’s line.

Adjectival Use

As an adjective (in anthropology), cognatic describes kinship relations that are consanguineal, meaning they are based on a biological or blood tie. In the context of descent theory, it specifically denotes non-unilineal descent, emphasising the complexity of lineage tracing across both genders.