appanage

or ap·a·nage

[ ap-uh-nij ]

noun

1. land or some other source of revenue assigned for the maintenance of a member of the family of a ruling house.
2. whatever belongs rightfully or appropriately to one's rank or station in life.
3. a natural or necessary accompaniment; adjunct.

appanage

/ ˈæpənɪdʒ /

noun

1. land or other provision granted by a king for the support of a member of the royal family, esp a younger son
2. a natural or customary accompaniment or perquisite, as to a job or position

Word History and Origins

Origin of appanage¹

1595–1605; < Middle French, Old French apanage, apeinaige, equivalent to apan ( er ) to endow (a younger son or daughter) with a maintenance (< Medieval Latin appānāre; ap- ap- ¹ + -pānāre, verbal derivative of Latin pānis bread; compare Old Provençal apanar to nourish) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of appanage¹

C17: from Old French, from Medieval Latin appānāgium, from appānāre to provide for, from Latin pānis bread

Example Sentences

Austria had another appanage whose people cared little for the prestige of their foreign kings and much for their own liberties.

From Project Gutenberg

The most interesting feature of Langkor is an ancient temple, an appanage of the great Drophung monastery of Lhasa.

From Project Gutenberg

She will receive an appanage of twenty-five thousand gulden a year.

From Project Gutenberg

Kew had existed for long as a Royal Appanage before it was handed over to the Nation.

From Project Gutenberg

Adams had long ago hoisted the British flag and constituted his island an appanage of the British crown.

From Project Gutenberg