primogeniture

[ prahy-muh-jen-i-cher, -choor ]

noun

1. the state or fact of being the firstborn of children of the same parents.
2. Law. the system of inheritance or succession by the firstborn, specifically the eldest son. Compare postremogeniture.

primogeniture

/ ˌpraɪməʊˈdʒɛnɪtʃə; ˌpraɪməʊˈdʒɛnɪtərɪ; -trɪ /

noun

1. the state of being a first-born
2. law the right of an eldest son to succeed to the estate of his ancestor to the exclusion of all others Compare ultimogeniture

primogeniture

1. 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.

Derived Forms

• primogenitary, adjective

Other Words From

• primo·geni·tary primo·geni·tal adjective
• primo·geni·ture·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of primogeniture¹

First recorded in 1500–20; from Medieval Latin prīmōgenitūra “a first birth,” equivalent to Latin prīmō “at first” + genitūra, equivalent to genit(us) (past participle of gignere “to beget”) + -ūra noun suffix; kin, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of primogeniture¹

C17: from Medieval Latin prīmōgenitūra birth of a first child, from Latin prīmō at first + Late Latin genitūra a birth

Example Sentences

Apart from a few royal families, primogeniture is no longer the norm in Western countries.

From Time

The modern equivalent of primogeniture in the U.S., as Schine sees it, is divorce.

From The Daily Beast

That such an idea might come to M. d'Anjou is possible; his ancestors are mine, and it is only a question of primogeniture.

From Project Gutenberg

No argument can ever restore general confidence in the institution of primogeniture, but it dies hard, even (p. 085) in England.

From Project Gutenberg

Here his Lordship sighed, but not too deeply, for he remembered that the law of primogeniture is the sworn enemy to grief.

From Project Gutenberg

The law of entail is traceable to the same human instincts as the law of primogeniture.

From Project Gutenberg

At the same time, I did not believe nature had created men unequal, in the order of primogeniture from male to male.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bequest
• estate
• heritage
• legacy