avunculate
/əˈvʌŋkjʊlət
/noun (the avunculate) Anthropology
The special relationship in some societies between a man and his sister’s son: kinship relations such as the avunculate...
- The Fante also cited the latter proverb to indicate certain limitations placed on the avunculate.
- Since every schoolboy since Radcliffe-Brown knows the importance of the avunculate in African society, I simply counted my blessings, figuring that I must actually be ‘doing’ anthropology.
- He is currently refining one paper on Anglo-Saxon queenship and another on the avunculate in Beowulf, the latter invited for Philological Quarterly.
Origin
Early 20th century: from Latin avunculus 'maternal uncle' + -ate2.