primogeniture

primogeniture
—primogenitary, primogenital, adj. —primogenitureship, n.
/pruy'meuh jen"i cheuhr, -choor'/, n.
1. the state or fact of being the firstborn of children of the same parents.
2. Law. the system of inheritance or succession by the firstborn, specifically the eldest son. Cf. postremogeniture.
[1585-95; < ML primogenitura a first birth, equiv. to L primo at first + genitura, equiv. to genit(us) (ptp. of gignere to beget; see KIN) + -ura -URE]

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Preference in inheritance that is given by law or custom to the eldest son and his issue.

The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact, and to acknowledge the importance of age-seniority within the social hierarchy. It is no longer a recognized principle of inheritance in most jurisdictions.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Primogeniture — is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings (compare to ultimogeniture). Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females. According to the… …   Wikipedia

  • primogéniture — [ primoʒenityr ] n. f. • fin XVe; du lat. primogenitus « premier né, aîné » ♦ Dr. Antériorité, priorité de naissance entraînant certains droits. Succession par ordre de primogéniture. ● primogéniture nom féminin (latin primogenitus, premier né)… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • primogeniture — pri·mo·gen·i·ture /ˌprī mō je nə ˌchu̇r/ n 1: the state of being the firstborn of the children of the same parents 2: exclusive right of inheritance; specif: a right to take all the real property of an estate belonging under English law to the… …   Law dictionary

  • Primogeniture — Pri mo*gen i*ture (?; 135), n. [LL., fr. L. primus first + genitura a begetting, birth, generation, fr. genere, gignere, to beget: cf. F. primog[ e]niture, L. primogenitus firstborn. See {Prime}, a., and {Genus}, {Kin}.] 1. The state of being the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primogeniture — Primogéniture Du latin primo, « premier » et genitura, de gignere, « engendrer ». Ce terme désigne l antériorité de naissance et les droits qui en découlent, en particulier en matière de succession. C était la norme dans le… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • primogeniture — Primogeniture. s. f. Droit d aisnesse. Esaü vendit sa primogeniture pour un plat de lentilles …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • primogeniture — c.1600, right of succession of the first born, from M.L. primogenitura, from L.L. primogenitus first born, from L. primus first (see prime (adj.)) + genitus, pp. of gignere to beget (see GENUS (Cf. genus)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • primogeniture — Primogeniture, Primatus, B. ex Augustino, voyez Aisnesse, en Aisné …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • primogeniture — ► NOUN 1) the state of being the firstborn child. 2) a rule of inheritance by the firstborn child. ORIGIN Latin primogenitura, from primo first + genitura birth, begetting …   English terms dictionary

  • primogeniture — [prī΄mə jen′i chər] n. [ML primogenitura < L primus, first + genitura, a begetting < genitus: see PRIMOGENITOR] 1. the condition or fact of being the firstborn of the same parents 2. Law the exclusive right of the eldest son to inherit his… …   English World dictionary

  • primogéniture — (pri mo jé ni tu r ) s. f. 1°   Terme de jurisprudence. Aînesse. •   Il suivit de la perpétuité des fiefs que le droit d aînesse et de primogéniture s établit parmi les Français, MONTESQ. Esp. XXXI, 33. •   Comme les czars se mariaient sans avoir …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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