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)

Example Sentences

I speak of it here because the documents mention it almost always with the heriot.

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

Of their articles he approved of two only, that demanding the right to choose their pastors and that denouncing the heriot or death-duty.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved

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 Reilly, S. A.

One of the most vexatious of these is the heriot, under which name the lord is entitled to seize the tenant’s best beast or other chattel in the event of the tenant’s death.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 3 "Convention" to "Copyright" by Various

Can you inform me of the etymology and meaning of the latter word? it appears almost synonymous with "heriot."

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 104, October 25, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various