Word of the Day

Wednesday July 29, 2009

consanguineous [kon-san(g)-GWIN-ee-us]

adjective

Of the same blood; related by birth; descended from the same parent or ancestor.

I recently discovered that we are cousins. So far the consanguineous tie has not resulted in any response to or acknowledgement of various e-mails I have sent to your office.

Harry Eyres, "FT.com site : A point of honour", FT.com, Apr 27, 2007
It is truly the most idyllic adoption story ever fashioned by reality: Daughter finds birth parents, birth parents want to be found, birth parents have remained together despite early challenges, adoptive parents are supportive and unthreatened, consanguineous relatives are welcoming, and everybody gets along.

Steve Penhollow, "Adopted city artist has sense of self-portraits", Journal - Gazette, Jan 21, 2007
Up to this time, Sara had not ventured to address the Teacup. But, as she looked around and saw her still sitting there, so pleasant and bland and fragile, and with such a consanguineous handle, she felt a sudden certainty that the Teacup would always be kind and helpful; so she suggested timidly, "Then we shan't need the onions?"

Karle Wilson Baker (1878 - 1960) An American poet and author. The Garden of the Plynck (1920)

Origin of the Word

Consanguineous, approximately 1380, from Latin consanguinitatem, from consanguineus "consanguineous, of the same blood," from com- "together" + sanguineus "of blood."