deodand

[ dee-uh-dand ]

noun

, English Law.

1. (before 1846) an animal or article that, having been the immediate cause of the death of a human being, was forfeited to the crown to be applied to pious uses.

deodand

/ ˈdiːəʊˌdænd /

noun

1. English law (formerly) a thing that had caused a person's death and was forfeited to the crown for a charitable purpose: abolished 1862

Word History and Origins

Origin of deodand¹

1520–30; < Medieval Latin deōdandum (a thing) to be given to God < Latin deō to God (dative singular of deus ) + dandum to be given (neuter gerund of dare to give)

Word History and Origins

Origin of deodand¹

C16: from Anglo-French deodande, from Medieval Latin deōdandum, from Latin Deō dandum (something) to be given to God, from deus god + dare to give

Example Sentences

The claim is against the property that caused harm, and the object or its equivalent value would be forfeited to the Crown as a “deodand,” which is something “given to God.”

From New York Times

Deodand, dē′o-dand, n. in old English law, a personal chattel which had been the immediate, accidental cause of the death of a human being, forfeited to the crown for pious uses.

From Project Gutenberg

The verdict returned was "Accidental Death," with a deodand of five pounds upon the bull.

From Project Gutenberg

The old law of Deodand was an expression of this feeling of resentment against inanimate objects even.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a principle of English common law derived from the feudal period, that anything through the instrumentality of which death occurred was forfeited to the p. 89crown as a deodand; accordingly down to the year 1840 and even later, we find, in all cases where persons were killed, records of deodands levied by the coroners’ juries upon locomotives. 

From Project Gutenberg