|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
gens
gens , ancient Roman kinship group. It was the counterpart of what is known in other societies as a patrilineal clan or sib, and the word has been used in social science as a generic term for such groupings. The members of the Roman gens were descended (or assumed to be descended) from a common ancestor, whose name was used by all the members of the group. The second name was the gens name (e.g., Tullius in Marcus Tullius Cicero). The members were united in worship of the common ancestor, and marriage within the gens was discouraged. In early Rome the gens had economic, political, religious, and social functions; it later came to mean little more than a family name. The Greek gens ( genos ) was similar to the Roman. |
|
|
Cite this article
"gens." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gens." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-gens.html "gens." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-gens.html |
|
gens
gens / jenz/ • n. (pl. gen·tes / ˈjentēz/ ) 1. a group of families in ancient Rome who shared a name and claimed a common origin. 2. Anthropol. a group of people who are related through their male ancestors. |
|
|
Cite this article
"gens." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gens." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gens.html "gens." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gens.html |
|
gens
gens See PHRATRY.
|
|
|
Cite this article
GORDON MARSHALL. "gens." A Dictionary of Sociology. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. GORDON MARSHALL. "gens." A Dictionary of Sociology. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O88-gens.html GORDON MARSHALL. "gens." A Dictionary of Sociology. 1998. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O88-gens.html |
|
gens
gens
•banns, glans, Prestonpans, sans
•Octans
•Benz, cleanse, Fens, gens, lens
•Homo sapiens • impatiens • nolens volens • delirium tremens • Serpens
•vas deferens • Cairns • Keynes
•Jeans, means, Queens, smithereens
•Owens • Robbins • Rubens • gubbins
•Hitchens • O'Higgins
•Huggins, juggins, muggins
•imagines • Jenkins • Eakins • Dickens
•Wilkins • Hopkins
•Dawkins, Hawkins
•Collins • Gobelins • widdershins
•matins • Martens • Athens • avens
•Heinz • confines • Apennines
•bonze, bronze, Johns, mod cons, Mons, St John's
•Downs, grounds, hash-browns, Townes
•Jones, nones
•lazybones • sawbones • fivestones
•New Orleans, Orléans
•Lions, Lyons
•Gibbons • St Albans • Siddons
•shenanigans • Huygens • vengeance
•goujons • St Helens • Hollands
•Newlands • Brooklands • Netherlands
•Siemens • Symons • commons
•summons • Lorenz • Parsons
•Goossens
•Lamentations, United Nations
•Colossians • Sextans • Buttons
•Evans • Stevens • Ovens • Onions
•Lutyens
•Cousins, Cozens
•Burns
|
|
|
Cite this article
"gens." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gens." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gens.html "gens." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gens.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
