gens

gens

 (jĕnz)

n. pl. gen·tes (jĕn′tēz′)

1. A patrilineal clan of ancient Rome composed of several families of the same name claiming a common ancestor and belonging to a common religious cult.

2. Anthropology An exogamous patrilineal clan.

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[Latin gēns; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gens

(dʒɛnz)

n, pl gentes (ˈdʒɛntiːz)

1. (Historical Terms) (in ancient Rome) any of a group of aristocratic families, having a common name and claiming descent from a common ancestor in the male line

2. (Anthropology & Ethnology) anthropol a group based on descent in the male line

[C19: from Latin: race; compare genus, gender]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gens

(dʒɛnz)

n., pl. gen•tes (ˈdʒɛn tiz)

1. a group of families in ancient Rome claiming descent from a common ancestor and sharing the same nomen.

2. a group of persons tracing common descent in the male line; clan.

[1840–50; < Latin gēns. compare genus, gender¹, gender²]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

gens - family based on male descent; "he had no sons and there was no one to carry on his name" name kinfolk, kinsfolk, phratry, family line, sept, folk, family - people descended from a common ancestor; "his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower"

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