patronymic

  1. Adjective.  Derived from ancestors; as, a patronymic denomination.
  2. Noun.  name acquired from one's father's, grandfather's or earlier male ancestor's first name. Some cultures use a patronymic where other cultures use a surname or family name; other cultures (like Russia) use both a patronymic and a surname.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.