| A | B |
|---|
| Bridewealth | A customary gift before, at, or after marriage from the husband and his kin to the wife and her kin; see also progeny price. |
| Caste System | Closed, hereditary system of stratification, often dictated by religion; hierarchical social status is ascribed at birth, so that people are locked into their parents' social position |
| Clan | Unilineal descent group based on stipulated descent. |
| Descent Group | A permanent social unit whose members claim common ancestry; fundamental to tribal society. |
| Dowry | A marital exchange in which the wife's group provides substantial gifts to the husband's family. |
| Endogamy | Marriage between people of the same social group. |
| Exogamy | Mating or marriage outside one's kin group; a cultural universal. |
| Extended Family Household | Expanded household including three or more generations. |
| Family | A group of people (e.g., parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins, spouses, siblings-in-law, parents-in-law, children-in-law) who are considered to be related in some way, for example, by "blood" (common ancestry or descent) or marriage. |
| Family of Orientation | Nuclear family in which one is born and grows up. |
| Family of Procreation | Nuclear family established when one marries and has children. |
| Incest | Sexual relations with a close relative. |
| Levirate | Custom by which a widow marries the brother of her deceased husband. |
| Lineage | Unilineal descent group based on demonstrated descent. |
| Matrilineal Descent | Unilineal descent rule in which people join the mother's group automatically at birth and stay members throughout life. |
| Matrilocality | Customary residence with the wife's relatives after marriage, so that children grow up in their mother's community. |
| Neolocality | Postmarital residence pattern in which a couple establishes a new place of residence rather than living with or near either set of parents. |
| Patrilineal Descent | Unilineal descent rule in which people join the father's group automatically at birth and stay members throughout life. |
| Patrilocality | Customary residence with the husband's relatives after marriage, so that children grow up in their father's community. |
| Plural Marriages | Marriage of a man to two or more women (polygyny) or marriage of a woman to two or more men (polyandry)—at the same time; see also polygamy. |
| Polyandry | Variety of plural marriage in which a woman has more than one husband. |
| Polygamy | Marriage with three or more spouses, at the same time; see also plural marriage. |
| Polygyny | Variety of plural marriage in which a man has more than one wife. |
| Progeny Price | A gift from the husband and his kin to the wife and her kin before, at, or after marriage; legitimizes children born to the woman as members of the husband's descent group. |
| Sororate | Custom by which a widower marries the sister of the deceased wife. |
| Unilineal Descent | Matrilineal or patrilineal descent. |
