Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com

in terrorem clause

American  
[in te-rawr-em klawz] / ɪn tɛˈrɔr ɛm ˌklɔz /

noun

Law.

  1. a clause in a will stating that a beneficiary who contests the will shall lose their legacy.

Etymology

Origin of in terrorem clause

From Latin in terrōrem “into terror,” i.e., by intimidation, by way of warning

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.