praemunire

[pree-myoo-nahy-ree]

noun English Law.

a writ charging the offense of resorting to a foreign court or authority, as that of the pope, and thus calling in question the supremacy of the English crown.
the offense.
the penalty of forfeiture, imprisonment, outlawry, etc., incurred.

Origin of praemunire

1375–1425; short for Medieval Latin praemūnīre faciās (for Latin praemonēre faciās that you cause (the person specified) to be forewarned), the operative words of the writ; praemūnīre to warn (Latin: protect, literally, fortify); replacing late Middle English premunire facias < Medieval Latin, as above. See prae-, muniment

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Examples from the Web for praemunire

Historical Examples of praemunire

This measure was extended in 1365, and in 1393 by the great statute of Praemunire.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 4
Various
This custom was put an end to by the Statute of Praemunire .
Education in England in the Middle Ages
Albert William Parry
Such, on the one hand, was the statute of praemunire, passed in the reign of Richard II.
A Key to the Knowledge of Church History (Ancient)
John Henry Blunt

British Dictionary definitions for praemunire

praemunire

noun English history

a writ charging with the offence of resorting to a foreign jurisdiction, esp to that of the Pope, in a matter determinable in a royal court
the statute of Richard II defining this offence

Word Origin for praemunire

C14: from the Medieval Latin phrase (in the text of the writ) praemūnīre faciās, literally: that you cause (someone) to be warned in advance, from Latin praemūnīre to fortify or protect in front, from prae in front + mūnīre to fortify; in Medieval Latin the verb was confused with Latin praemonēre to forewarn

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