germānĭtas, ātis, f. [1. germanus], the relation between brothers and sisters, brotherhood, sisterhood.
I Lit.: moveant te horum lacrimae, moveat pietas, moveat germanitas, Cic. Lig. 11, 33: subituram vobis aliquando germanitatis memoriam (between Perseus and Demetrius as sons of Philip), Liv. 40, 8, 10: nexus germanitatis, the bond of sisterhood , Ap. Met. 2, 3, 6; cf.: inter Judam et Israël, brotherhood , amity , Vulg. Zech. 11, 14.—
II Transf.
A The relationship of the inhabitants of cities which are colonies of one mother-city : ab ea germanitate fraternam sibi cum iis caritatem esse, Liv. 37, 56, 7.—
B Of inanim. and abstr. things, a union , resemblance , similarity : unde nomen ambobus (Bosporis) et jam quaedam in dissociatione germanitas concors, Plin. 6, 1, 1, § 2: malorum, id. 15, 14, 15, § 51: vini, id. 14, 6, 8, § 59: digitorum, speciosa germanitas, of the toes, Lact. Opif. Dei, 13, 8.—
C A sister : germanitatis stupra, Cic. Har. Resp. 20, 42; Ap. Met. 5, 27, 17.