consanguinity

IPA/ˌkɒnsæŋˈɡwɪnəti/
IPA/ˌkɑːnsæŋˈɡwɪnəti/

consanguinity — noun

1. a formal noun describing the fact that two or more people share family ties thro

1.nounC1
Definition

a formal noun describing the fact that two or more people share family ties through birth rather than through marriage.

Example

A high degree of consanguinity often matters in inheritance law.

collocation: degree of consanguinity

The DNA report proved the consanguinity between the girl and her supposed uncle.

Common collocations
  • close consanguinity
  • degree of consanguinity
  • consanguinity marriage
  • consanguinity test
  • proof of consanguinity
  • consanguinity between [people]
Synonyms
  • blood relationship

    less formal and more common in everyday speech

  • kinship

    broader term that includes both blood and marriage ties

  • lineage

    focuses on the ancestral line rather than the general condition of being related

Antonyms
  • affinity

    relationship by marriage rather than by blood

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun

degree/level of consanguinity

consanguinity + noun (marriage, bond, test)

Usage Note

This noun is almost always uncountable and appears in formal, legal, or academic writing. It contrasts with 'affinity', which describes a relationship formed through marriage rather than birth.

Common Mistakes

They have a close consanguinity, having been friends for decades.
They have a close bond, having been friends for decades.
'consanguinity' refers only to blood relationships, not emotional closeness.
Her consanguinity to the family is through her husband.
Her connection to the family is through marriage.
relationship by marriage is 'affinity', not consanguinity.

Word family

  • consanguineous
    adjectiveC1
  • consanguine
    adjectiveC2
  • consanguineously
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While consanguinity, kinship, affinity, and lineage all describe human connections, each has a distinct focus. Consanguinity is the most precise — it refers exclusively to a blood tie, such as the bond between a parent and child or between siblings. Blood relationship means the same thing but is less formal and far more common in everyday speech. Kinship is much broader: it includes blood relatives, in-laws, and sometimes even close community bonds. Affinity is the legal and anthropological term for a connection formed through marriage — for example, the relationship a person has with their spouse's siblings — making it the direct opposite of consanguinity. Lineage follows a single line of descent across generations, often focusing on ancestry rather than shared blood at the present time. For example, a DNA test can confirm consanguinity between two people, but their kinship circle may also include adopted members and in-laws.

blood relationshipkinship ↗affinity ↗lineage ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • degree of consanguinity
  • proof of consanguinity
  • consanguinity between two people
  • close consanguinity

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'consanguinitas', a combination of 'con-' (together) and 'sanguis' (blood). The idea is of people who share the same blood. The word entered English through Old French in the 1300s and has been used in law and family studies ever since.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1