paravail

[ par-uh-veyl, par-uh-veyl ]

adjectiveOld English Law.
  1. being below or inferior to all others; specifically, being a tenant of one who holds land of another who is also a tenant: a tenant paravail.

Origin of paravail

1
1525–35; <Old French par aval down (of direction, position), equivalent to par through, by (see per-) + aval, a val down <Latin ad vallem literally, to the valley

Words Nearby paravail

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023