heriot

American  

[her-ee-uht] / ˈhɛr i ət /

noun

English Law.

1. a feudal service or tribute, originally of borrowed military equipment and later of a chattel, due to the lord on the death of a tenant.

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heriot British  

/ ˈhɛrɪət /

noun

1. (in medieval England) a death duty paid by villeins and free tenants to their lord, often consisting of the dead man's best beast or chattel

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Etymology

Origin of heriot

before 900; Middle English heriot, heriet, Old English heregeate, heregeatu, heregeatwa war gear, equivalent to here army + geate, etc., equipment; cognate with Old Norse gǫtvar (plural)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heriot

A common custom for a villein was that his best beast go to his lord as heriot and his second best beast go to the parish priest as mortuary.

From Our Legal Heritage June 2011 (Sixth) Edition by S. A. Reilly

The true heriot is akin in name and in character to the Saxon 'here-geat'—to the surrender of the military outfit supplied by the chief to his follower.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Paul Vinogradoff

But the fine paid on the inheritance of their land was less definitely restricted in amount, and heriot was more universally and more regularly collected.

From An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England by Edward Potts Cheyney

Free tenants were also frequently bound to pay relief and heriot.

From An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England by Edward Potts Cheyney

When Dick understood what heriot meant he would not do it.

From Notwithstanding by Mary Cholmondeley

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