quitclaim

American  

[kwit-kleym] / ˈkwɪtˌkleɪm /

noun

Law.

quitclaims plural

1. a transfer of all one's interest, as in a parcel of real estate, especially without a warranty of title.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to quit or give up claim to (a possession, right, etc.).

quitclaim British  

/ ˈkwɪtˌkleɪm /

noun

1. a formal renunciation of any claim against a person or of a right to land

---

verb

1. (tr)

   1. to renounce (a claim) formally

   2. to declare (a person) free from liability

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• quitclaims
  plural

Etymology

Origin of quitclaim

1275–1325; Middle English quitclayme < Anglo-French quiteclame, derivative of quiteclamer to declare quit. See quit ¹ (adj.), claim

Compare meaning

How does quitclaim compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• quitclaim vs. warranty deed

Explanation

A quitclaim is an act of giving up your ownership of a property and transferring it to another person. If your grandmother signs her house over to your dad, that's a quitclaim. The legal term quitclaim can be used generally to mean "abandoning any claim on a property," or more specifically for a type of legal document that does the same thing. A quitclaim allows a person to transfer property to another person with a simple deed. The basic idea is that all the rights and claims of being a property owner are relinquished and legally turned over to someone else.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quitclaim

There are no protections offered in the quitclaim deed, which is one reason why it is not used as often as the general warranty deed.

From Encyclopedia.com ● Mar. 21, 2018

When you fill out a quitclaim deed, there will always be a grantor and grantee.

From Encyclopedia.com ● Mar. 21, 2018

A quitclaim deed can be used to add a spouse to a property title, or it can be used as a quick way of transferring property between two parties.

From Encyclopedia.com ● Mar. 21, 2018

A few court divisions offer a fill-in-the-blanks quitclaim deed that meets statutory requirements, particularly notices about potential assessments of property transfer taxes upon the grantor.

From Encyclopedia.com ● Feb. 5, 2018

Mother, you know how earnestly I protested against your signing that quitclaim deed.

From Make or Break or, The Rich Man's Daughter by Optic, Oliver