propinquity

propinquity
noun
pro·;pin·;qui·;ty pr;-;pi;-kw;-t;
Synonyms of propinquity
1
: nearness of blood : kinship
2
: nearness in place or time : proximity


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Getting Closer to the Meaning of Propinquity

Propinquity and its cousin "proximity" are related through the Latin root prope, which means "near." That root gave rise to "proximus" (the parent of "proximity") and "propinquus" (an ancestor of "propinquity"). "Proximus" is the superlative of "prope" and thus means "nearest," whereas "propinquus" simply means "near" or "akin," but in English "propinquity" conveys a stronger sense of closeness than "proximity." (The latter usually suggests a sense of being in the vicinity of something.) The distinctions between the two words are subtle, however, and they are often used interchangeably. "Propinquity" is believed to be the older of the two words, first appearing in English in the 14th century; "proximity" followed a century later.

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