propinquity

noun

pro·​pin·​qui·​ty prə-ˈpiŋ-kwə-tē 

1

: nearness of blood : kinship

2

: nearness in place or time : proximity

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Getting Closer to the Meaning of Propinquity

Gather near and we will tell you tale of the scions of prope, the Latin word for “near.” Approach approached first: by the 13th century it had made its way to English from prope through Late Latin and Anglo-French forms, with help from a prefix meaning “to, toward.” Propinquity was all about kinship when it entered English in the 14th century via an expansion in Latin of prope to propinquus, meaning “near, akin.” Its general “nearness” meaning developed soon after. Proximity entered the language in the 15th century via French, having been adopted from proximus, a form of prope meaning “nearest.” Hold this trio near if you like, and apply the rather formal propinquity to mean “nearness” or “proximity” when the occasion calls for a bit of formality.

Synonyms

• adjacency
• closeness
• contiguity
• immediacy
• nearness
• proximity
• vicinity

Examples of propinquity in a Sentence

local housing prices, thanks to the propinquity of an especially picturesque beach, are out of the reach of many would-be buyers

Recent Examples on the Web

For him, at the heart of the conflict was a crisis of propinquity. —Curbed, 20 Oct. 2023

Residents tolerate--even welcome--human propinquity. —Glen Martin, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019

The ragged labor agitator becomes the shop steward, then the union boss, and the propinquity of the bargaining table supplies the fellow with new best friends. —David Mamet, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022

For such profound propinquity, move from the free-flowing oceans to the more structured world of soil, where potential self-sacrificers can nestle next to each other. —The Economist, 20 Aug. 2020

Being a young creator of any kind is all about cheap rent and propinquity. —Mary Kaye Schilling, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2017

Now, a small New Jersey township is bracing for its own looming propinquity to the president. —Emily Jane Fox, The Hive, 19 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle English propinquite, from Latin propinquitat-, propinquitas kinship, proximity, from propinquus near, akin, from prope near — more at approach

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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