levirate

[ lev-er-it, -uh-reyt, lee-ver-it, -vuh-reyt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the custom of marriage by a man with his brother's widow, such marriage required in Biblical law if the deceased was childless. Deuteronomy 25:5–10.

levirate

/ ˌlɛvɪˈrætɪk; ˈlɛvɪrɪt /

the practice, required by Old Testament law, of marrying the widow of one's brother

lev·i·rat·ic [lev-, uh, -, rat, -ik, lee-v, uh, -], levi·rati·cal adjective

First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin lēvir “husband's brother” (akin to Greek dāḗr, Sanskrit devar, Old English tācor ) + -ate ³

C18: from Latin lēvir a husband's brother

The Levirate (from "Levir," a brother-in-law, in Sanscrit dvar) is also found operating as a stringent injunction.

By a Levirate marriage if a man died without heirs his remaining brother married his widow and raised up heirs to him.

There is absolutely no trace of a levirate system by which the nearest male kinsman must marry his deceased brother's widow.

We are therefore reduced to the levirate as a proof of the former existence of group marriage.

He regards this rather unfortunately named custom of the levirate as having its root in group marriage.

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