I was looking through some of Caedon’s medical records today and came across this line: “In reviewing a three generation family history, it is unremarkable for known genetic conditions, birth defects, multiple miscarriages, mental retardation and there is no consanguinity in the family.”  Good news across the board, but what’s that last thing?  Consanguinity?  I remember enough from high school Latin that I thought that literally meant “with blood” (from “con” and “sanguine”) and I figured I knew what that meant.  Yep.  From Wikipedia: “(consanguinity) refers to the property of being from the same genetic lineage as another person.”  Glad we checked out clear on that one and Caedon doesn’t have to worry about what to get Uncle Dad or Aunt Grandma for their birthday this  year.

Used in a sentence: West Virginia has more consanguinity than any other state.  Or, Kentucky is the most consanguinous of all the states.

And that’s today’s Word of the Day.