patrimony
[ pa-truh-moh-nee ]
/ ˈpæ trəˌmoʊ ni /
noun, plural pat·ri·mo·nies.
an estate inherited from one's father or ancestors.
any quality, characteristic, etc., that is inherited; heritage.
the aggregate of one's property.
the estate or endowment of a church, religious house, etc.
Nearby words
- patrilineal,
- patrilinear,
- patriliny,
- patrilocal,
- patrimonial,
- patriot,
- patriot act,
- patriotic,
- patriotism,
- patriots' day
Origin of patrimony
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for patrimony
patrimony
/ (ˈpætrɪmənɪ) /
noun plural -nies
an inheritance from one's father or other ancestor
the endowment of a church
Word Origin for patrimony
C14 patrimoyne, from Old French, from Latin patrimonium paternal inheritance
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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patrimony
mid-14c., "property of the Church," also "spiritual legacy of Christ," from Old French patremoine "heritage, patrimony" (12c.) and directly from Latin patrimonium "a paternal estate, inheritance from a father," also figurative, from pater (genitive patris) "father" (see father (n.)) + -monium, suffix signifying action, state, condition. Meaning "property inherited from a father or ancestors" is attested from late 14c. Figurative sense of "immaterial things handed down from the past" is from 1580s. A curious sense contrast to matrimony.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper