primogeniture
[ prahy-muh-jen-i-cher, -choo r ]
/ ˌpraɪ məˈdʒɛn ɪ tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /
noun
the state or fact of being the firstborn of children of the same parents.
Law. the system of inheritance or succession by the firstborn, specifically the eldest son.
Nearby words
Compare postremogeniture.
Origin of primogeniture
Related forms
pri·mo·gen·i·tar·y, pri·mo·gen·i·tal, adjectivepri·mo·gen·i·ture·ship, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for primogeniture
British Dictionary definitions for primogeniture
primogeniture
/ (ˌpraɪməʊˈdʒɛnɪtʃə) /
noun
the state of being a first-born
law the right of an eldest son to succeed to the estate of his ancestor to the exclusion of all othersCompare ultimogeniture
Derived Forms
primogenitary (ˌpraɪməʊˈdʒɛnɪtərɪ, -trɪ), adjectiveWord Origin for primogeniture
C17: from Medieval Latin prīmōgenitūra birth of a first child, from Latin prīmō at first + Late Latin genitūra a birth
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Culture definitions for primogeniture
primogeniture
[ (preye-moh-jen-uh-choor, preye-moh-jen-uh-chuhr) ]
A system of inheritance in which land passes exclusively to the eldest son. Until the Industrial Revolution, this system severely restricted the freedom of younger sons, who were often forced into the military or the clergy to earn a living.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.