postremogeniture

English

WOTD – 27 February 2012

Etymology

First attested in 1865; either Latin postrēmōgenitus (“last-born”) + English -ure or the compounding in English of the Latin postrēmus (“[person who is] last”) + genitūra, in both cases after primogeniture; compare postreme.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: pŏstrēmōjĕʹnĭtyo͝or, pŏs'trēmōjĕʹnĭchər, IPA^(key): /ˌpɒstɹiːməʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪtjʊə/, /ˌpɒstɹiːməʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪtʃə/

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• (General American) enPR: pŏs'trēmōjĕʹnĭchər, IPA^(key): /ˌpɑstɹimoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪt͡ʃɚ/

Noun

postremogeniture (uncountable)

1. Inheritance by the last-born child of the entirety of, or of a privileged position in, a parent’s wealth, estate, or office; ultimogeniture.
   • 1865, “Revue Historique de droit Français et Étranger”, in The Journal of Jurisprudence‎^[1], volume IX, page 47:

     The general rule of the equal partition of property, without distinction of sex or primogeniture, suffers exception in the law of juveigneurie, or, as it may be called, postremogeniture, which confers, not on the eldest of children, but on the youngest, the paternal mansion.

Antonyms

• primogeniture